PHIL OKOSE, Onitsha
In his bid to vent his anger over the shutdown of Onitsha drug market in Anambra State, by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Anambra State chairman of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, Monday embarked on a seven-day self-imposed hunger strike.
Recall that for about two months now the drug market and its adjoining markets have remained shut following purported buying and selling of adulterated, expired, substandard and unwholesome drugs by the traders in the market.
Addressing newsmen on his hunger strike Ezekwueme stated that he decided to embark on the self imposed hunger strike to draw the attention, mercy, love and empathy of Mr.President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, members of National Assembly, NAFDAC and Nigerians to the unbearable excruciating sufferings, agony, plight, and predicament the traders are going through sequel to the shut down of the drug market.
He said, “For more than 50 days their shops have been sealed by NAFDAC, scores have gone begging while some fell sick as they could no longer meet up with the family’s financial obligations.
“.Early this morning a successful businessman at Onitsha Drug market called me and told me that his four children are now out of school, his landlord has threatened to evict him over non payment of house rent. Most pathetic is that they have nothing to eat since three days ago, I broke down in tears.
“Pertinently, I embarked on this hard, painful but patriotic self imposed hunger strike in solidarity to share in the excruciating sufferings of the affected traders,their families, loved ones, dependents and most importantly their children who are now out of school as a result of closure of their parents’ only source of livelihood that necessitated non payment of their school fees,” he disclosed further.
Ezekwueme recalled that they had earlier made three patriotic and life saving appeals to both His Excellency, President Tinubu and NAFDAC for reopening of the affected markets, but to no avail, hence the hunger strike became ineluctable and very necessary.
“President Tinubu as a democrat who abhors injustice and fought vigorously towards the de-annulment of June 12th Presidential election, also as father of the nation should kindly hearken to cries and predicaments of his citizens, the affected traders, by directing NAFDAC to unconditionally reopen the closed markets as well as direct them to rescind the imposition of #500,000 levy on the traders as most of them don’t have the wherewithal and some of them find it very difficult if not impossible to feed their families.
Recall that Ezekwueme embarked on a similar hunger strike during the annulment of June 12th, 1993 Presidential election, as well as during the abduction of both Chibok and Diapchi students.
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