By Martha Agas
The Plateau State Traders and Marketing Association, has expressed joy over plans by Plateau Government to reconstruct the Jos Main Market, which was gutted by fire in 2002.
The state’s president of the association, Mr. Uthman Dafaan, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Jos.
Dafaan said by reconstructing the market, Gov. Simon Lalong would have engraved his name on the tablet of history as “the best governor Plateau ever had”.
NAN reports that the state’s executive council had on March 30, approved the reconstruction of the Jos main market, expected to be completed within a year, at an estimated cost of N9.3billion, in a public private partnership with Jaiz bank.
The state executive council also resolved that those displaced from the burnt market would be given priority and the option of acquiring new ones from the 4,231 new shops, under a flexible payment plan.
Dafaan said the reconstruction of the market would bring succour to many traders, who since the incident, had been experiencing difficulties securing a conducive place of business.
“I am very happy about this development, and I thank the governor for this. He is doing his best to help traders in Plateau,” he said.
Dafaan said the rebuilding of the market would ensure the security of goods and effective coordination of activities in the market, adding that government, the contractors and residents, would also benefit from the development.
He, however, urged the state govt. to consult with the market unions in the allocation of stalls to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.
“I am pleading with the government, or the company that will be in charge, to follow the rules and regulations when they want to share shops.
“Let them call the people in charge of the different sections of market and work with them to prevent any issues between the traders and government,” he said.
He also urged government to carry along the market associations in matters that affected traders, saying they were ready to cooperate with the relevant authorities in the discharge of their duties. (NAN)
