The Edo State chapter of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) on Tuesday commended Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for the people-oriented actions he has taken during his short stay as Edo State chief executive.

A statement in Benin by the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) chairman, Dr. Samson Isibor, said that the suspension of the market unions and associations is a step in the right direction.

Isibor slammed the different unions and associations for making life unbearable for the common man through their undue, unrealistic hijacking of palm produce from the rural areas to the urban market by inflating the commodity prices beyond the reach of the ordinary man.

Besides, he said that the groups have caused the prices of staple foods to skyrocket, including garri, rice, plantain, beans, corn, pepper, tomatoes, vegetables, among others.

The chairman noted that it is to the delight of the people and the relief of the masses to see all these food prices crash down against the high cost of commodities due to the activities of the unscrupulous market unions and associations.

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Isibor added, “We therefore appreciate the governor for taking the bull by the horns by having the political will to suspend the so-called unions, who do not allow the real owners of the produce to sell their market according to their wishes.”

“Immediately after the governor’s pronouncement suspending these wicked market unions, the market prices came down like a pack of cards to the reach of the impoverished common man in the state.”

He added that the governor’s critics are confounded by his spectacular, people-oriented actions, noting that the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) had earlier pleaded with the governor to deal with these anti-masses market unions and associations, a step which he took without wasting time.

According to Isibor, the action showed that Governor Okpebholo is a listening governor.

He said, “He should go further to constitute a committee to oversee and monitor the markets in case there may be defiant groups of people who wouldn’t comply with the governor’s directive. Such persons should be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

“The governor should set up forest rangers to give farmers security to go to their farms to produce food for Edo people. This is to checkmate the activities of the killer Fulani herdsmen and kidnappers who are all over our forests, kidnapping our people for ransom or eventually killing them in some cases.”

The group also commended Governor Okpebholo for taking the bold step of swearing in the three judges whom the immediate past Governor, Godwin Obaseki, refused to swear in and for the payment of the 13 months’ salary to civil servants.