WRITTEN BY EGBUNA AMUTA
Due to the debilitating effects of the recent economic recession in the country, the Anambra state government, in September last year, introduced an economic stimulus package.

That initiative was to assuaging the harsh effects of the national economic difficulties on the people of the state.
The Obiano economic relief package included but not limited to prohibition of taxes and levies on hawkers and wheelbarrow pushers, drastic reduction of levies on commercial motorcyclist and tricycle, popularly known as Okada and Keke Napep operators. Illegal levies were also proscribed in public primary and secondary schools across the state. 
But alas, these noble and people-oriented measures by the Obiano administration were, to some extent, violated by some miscreants, to the embarrassment of the authorities and chagrin of the good people of the state. For the umpteenth time, the state government was compelled to explain that its economic palliative measures for underprivileged persons were still in force, and it continued to appeal to the market leadership across the state to assist in checkmating the nefarious activities of illegal levy collectors. The Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State, commonly known as OCHA brigade, has, in the recent past, arrested and charged about forty illegal levy collectors to courts in the state 
Notwithstanding the soothing effects of the good governance and impressive delivery of democracy dividends by the Obiano administration since 2014, some unscrupulous persons continued to sabotage its noble efforts. On its part, the state government has displayed uncommon patience and fortitude in tolerating the antics of these law breakers, who erroneously took the forbearance and compassionate disposition of Governor Obiano for granted.
It is apparently against this background that the state government, after a crucial meeting with the leadership of market unions, recently took a decision to contain the growing impunity in our society – an impunity which is gradually impacting negatively on the enviable achievements for which the governor was overwhelmingly reelected. The parley  between the state government and market leaders resolved to, without further delay, totally get rid of illegal levy collections, remove all illegal structures in the state,  especially the markets, proscribe street trading in order to drastically reduce the spate of street traders being crushed to death in accidents.
Legitimate thoroughfares and pathways often blocked by street traders and illegal structures are also to be removed to further enhance the cleanliness, aesthetics of our environment. The primitive and unruly  behaviour of some reckless   Okada and Keke operators are equally to be curtailed. 
Undoubtedly, this is a difficult decision in view of the fact that the persons likely to be directly affected are those commonly referred to as ordinary people. However, ordinary people in all decent societies throughout the world are generally respecters of law, order and due process.
Ndi Anambra should therefore completely support and cooperate with government, the leadership of the market unions and other relevant organisations in the well intended efforts to restore sanity in our environment. After all, the task of having a decent and progressive society in every clime is the joint responsibility of both the government and the governed. This is exactly the case in other developed globe that we admire.
However, it is ironic that many of us who have visited or lived in other countries where there are respect, decency, law and order are more often than not, guilty of gross violation of simple rules and regulations in Nigeria. Many people in this country, including our beloved Anambra state, shamelessly dump refuse indiscriminately on roads, streets and drainages. We also violate traffic rules with impunity and build physical structures without caring to comply with town planning regulations, especially in our cities.  Little wonder we have the most disorganized cities with sprouting ghettos in the country. Indeed, this should no longer be allowed in our beloved Anambra state, whose sobriquet is: Light of the Nation.  Therefore, all hands must be on deck to make the state the most decent, organized  and well planned environment  in Nigeria.

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