Igbo traders and community in Bayelsa State yesterday urged Governor Seriake Dickson to reopen the mechanic village in Yenagoa, located on Imiringi Road.
The village was shut by the government following unpaid taxes.
State President of Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC), Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, said the closure had crippled business.
He said the Igbo community, which constituted 70 per cent of auto dealers, had been thrown into hardship.
“We implore the government to reopen the place so that people can continue their business. It was closed on December 18. Since then, mechanics and auto traders have experienced hardship.
“Although many of our people have travelled for the Yuletide, it’s time they resumed their business.”
Arthur-Ugwa urged the government to discuss with the traders to resolve the matter.
“Let’s have a roundtable talk, a dialogue to enable us move forward. This halt has handicapped many. It is affecting business. We learnt the auto market was shut because some traders were owing.
“We know the mechanism to put in place to get the money from the debtors. Not everyone is owing, therefore, they shouldn’t punish innocent persons. Let’s work on how to resolve this issue.
“I plead that land be given to those who need it for business expansion. As it is, no one from Rivers or other neighbouring states comes to Bayelsa to patronise the traders.
“This is because of the poor exposure given to business. If plots are given, we know what to do. We can make use of the advantage of the big rivers around to get a ship and a warehouse, just as it is in Lagos, so as to inform people around about the fast growing business opportunities here.
“It will increase economic value and internal revenue of the state. We have multinational companies we can contact to transfer their headquarters to the state. This will boost the state’s economy.
“There are other businesses that need land, such as computer and phone villages. They need land and this will help boost sales.
“The governor is a friend of the Igbo. We promise to work with him and avoid trouble,” he said.
The Secretary of Automobile Dealers Association, Mr. Elus Barnabas, said: “The problem is that the money we have been paying to the government has not been getting to them.
“Of the 184 shop owners who paid to the government, only the money of 78 got to the state. Others were collected by mechanics and civil servants.
“The government should do something. They should reopen the mechanic village because the place houses over 1,000 people, who live on the proceeds from the mechanic village.
“The people are fed up. Many are dying.”
The association Chairman, Okoye Sunday, lamented that the money they paid to the government was diverted by the collectors.
He said: “This money has been paid to someone. We, the automobile dealers, are tenants to auto repairers. Hence we paid the money to these mechanics to send it to the government. Some of the money has been paid to the mechanics.
“We implore the government to look into the matter and reopen the mechanic workshop. It should pity the innocent ones who have paid.”