Members of the Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria (ACMWMN) in Edo State have passed a vote of no confidence on the Market Women Leader of Edo State, Blacky Ogiamien for allegedly failing to render account of the N100 million given her in 2013 by former governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
The members who addressed a press conference on the matter in Benin City, the state capital, said rather than give account of the items she received on behalf of the traders, Mrs. Blacky resorted to intimidating members and causing artificial scarcity of commodities in the markets.
In the press statement signed and read by the association’s secretary, Mrs. Edna Omoregbe and others, the traders said during the first term of Governor Godwin Obaseki, the governor gave 25 cows and 500 bags of 50kg of rice to Mrs. Ogiamen to be shared to the association. She allegedly sent only 2 cows each to Edo Central and Edo North, with about 30 bags of rice sent to both zones without giving account for 460 bags of 50kg of rice and 21 cows.
They said it was a similar case with the 8,000 pieces of fabrics sent to Edo Market Women.
Mrs. Omoregbe said despite their complaints, Mrs. Ogiamen still continued to sideline the members of the association.
She said, “We recall with pains and trouble that in 2013 the then Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as a way of assisting poor traders in Edo Market, gave a grant of N100 million and same was sent through the Edo State Market Women Association’s account over which Mrs. Blacky Ogiamen was a major signatory and superintendent.”
Mrs. Omoregbe stated that, despite what Oshiomhole did for the association, they were so surprised to have seen Mrs. Ogiamen attacking him in the media.
When contacted on phone, Madam Ogiamen denied the allegation saying that the allegation was politically motivated and that the money was paid into the account of the association that it was disbursed to all that were supposed to get and that Orukpe is not a member of their association.
