The Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba Victor Kiladejo has ordered the prohibition of the idea of traders being forced to join associations in the kingdom

Oba Kiladejo gave the order, through the Osemawe-in-Council, as part of the efforts to reduce the prices of food and commodities and services.

The order was part of the resolutions adopted by Osemawe in Council at the stakeholders and youth meeting held at Palace Hall, Ondo town, Ondo State on Wednesday.

The resolutions were contained in a statement from the Ondo Ekinmogun Youth Congress on Saturday, issued by Kayode Igbekoyi on behalf of the President of the group, Comrade Kayode Folajogun.

According to the statement, the resolutions read that “imposition of association membership of any kind on traders is prohibited in Ondo kingdom. Ondo markets are declared free and open for every legal trader and traders in legal items or wares from other communities, towns or states can trade freely in Ondo kingdom.

“All moribund and abandoned community markets e.g Odosida, Okelisa, Ayeyemi, Akinjagunla, Igba, Oka, and Odojomu including neighbourhood markets should be revamped, steps being taken to create more alternative markets like Shasha, Kara ( in Ondo) should be expedited.”

In the resolutions, the council asked any seller or trader who felt threatened while selling her goods in Ondo to call the concerned constituted authorities, Iyaloja or youth president and also that Iyaloja should make necessary publicity concerning the resolutions of market women on Osemawe’s directive.

The Osemawe-in-Council also warned that any fuel station selling above the approved pump price or exorbitant cost would be sealed off and that collection of extra charges on transactions done on any company’s POS machine, especially fuel stations is cancelled forthwith.

It said, “Strict measures would be taken against any fuel station especially independent marketers who hoard fuel and dupe buyers and Ondo residents by selling inaccurate meter measures, hat steps being taken by Ondo kingdom through the Osemawe in council to upgrade Agbogboke Injector transformer would be accelerated and that “Ondo youths should be empowered to engage in agriculture and trading that could lead to the amelioration of current economic hardships being witnessed in Ondo kingdom and Nigeria at large ”

The council frowned at the alleged bad conduct of some local government officials extorting goods motor drivers coming into Ondo markets and market women by extension and ordered for its stoppage forthwith.

The statement added that the intelligence and community task force team would be out to see to the implementation of the resolutions.

Due to the removal of fuel subsidies and the depreciation of the naira, there has been a consistent increase in food prices nationwide in recent times.