Chairman of NUMTEN in Ekiti, comrade Morakinyo Akintayo addressing one of the meetings with Ekiti Council of Obas and their Oloris in Ado-Ekiti
The Federal Government’s newly approved National Union of Market Traders Employers of Nigeria (NUMTEN, on Wednesday clarified as wrong, the impression, suggesting that it’s establishment and approval by government, was a ploy to take over traditional control of markets from Obas.
Chairman of the union in Ekiti, Comrade Morakinyo Akintayo, who who made this known on Wednesday after leading his state executive members to a meeting with Ekiti Council of Obas in Ado-Ekiti, and later with Oloris, (Obas wives), said such impression was a misconception of facts.
Rather, he said while the traditional rulers would continue to maintain their age-long control of the markets, NUMTEN, on the other hand, would take charge of the modern aspect of it, which he said, would focus basically on bringing sanity and orderliness to the markets, and also empower all partakers, at different times.
These, he said would be done, by way of providing the needed amenities, as well as assisting both women and men traders to grow, in their choice of businesses, through loan assistance among others.
According to him, the union is a non formal sector, which never go on strike nor partake in it, so as not to affect their members
Akintayo,who was reacting to fears and apprehension, expressed at the meeting by the rulers, assured that the present government at the centre, headed by President Bola Tinubu would never do anything to undermine the interest of traditional rulers in the scheme of things, concerning the markets.
” I want to assure our dear esteemed royal fathers that they have nothing to worry about As a Yoruba person myself, i know, and understand the position of traditional rulers when it comes to issue of market, and i will never be part of any plans to erode such rich history.
” This is a Nigerian project that should be embraced by all well-meaning leaders, and nothing must be done to give it another name. The union holds our traditional rulers in high esteem”, he said.
He also advised them to be weary of scammers who may be going from one market to the other to present themselves as market employers, saying only NUMTEN was duly registered, and recognised by the Federal Government to perform such roles.
Akintayo said the union was newly approved by the Federal Government, to function under the umbrella of Nigeria Labour Congress.(NLC), with the mandate of bringing orderliness to the nation’s markets.
” The National Union of Market Traders Employers of Nigeria is a union, Registered under the Trade Union Act, (CAP T 14), and Affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), and the union is non-political non tribal, non religion, non cultural, and non-governmental”, he said.
According to him, the union is to defend the Integrity and independence of the market traders in the country, by promoting and advancing their welfare in all the markets in the country.
” The establishment, is for maintenance and full operation of a system that will prompt quick attention to our nember’s needs”.
” We are also to promote and support market and business reform, regularisation and price control, in all the markets, at affordable price, as well as
create, and maintain endowment fund, such as grants and loans for all the market traders, so as to boost their income.
” We are also to maintain highest standard of professional conduct, etiquette and discipline among market traders, establish schemes, for the promotion of the welfare, security and economic advancement for members of the union.
” Our members cut across not only all the markets, but also those that engage in business of buying and selling of non-perishable goods and commodities”, he said.
Akintayo said the union, having been duly established and registered by the Federal Government, would not waste time in working according to it’s mandate, by spearheading all activities in the markets across the country, and provide the traders, conducive environment for trade, and also assist them on how to improve on their daily activities in the markets.
some leading traditional rulers at the meeting had raised concern about how the operations of NUMTEN, would not affect their standing, as the sacred custodians of the markets.
Some of them also raised concerns in the union, being affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), saying there was the likelihood of a situation that whenever labour goes on strike, all markets would also be ordered closed.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, who doubles as the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, Ido/Osi local Government Area of the state, Oba Ayorinde Ilori Faboro has asked the union to give the rulers, some time, to ruminate over it’s presentations, so the rulers can give a feedback, at a later date.