Stakeholders Differ On Plan To Rebuild Jos Main Market

Stakeholders in Jos-North Local Government Area of Plateau on Wednesday expressed mixed reactions to the move by the state government to rebuild the Jos main market that was burnt down over 20 years ago.

The stakeholders, who met separately,  had one of the groups endorsing the decision of government to rebuild the market and the other group against it.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government has agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jaiz Bank to rebuild the market at the cost of N10 billion.

However, some residents of the state kicked against the move and advised the state government to discontinue the arrangement.

The state government, after an interaction with critical stakeholders, directed council chairmen and state lawmakers to consult and seek stakeholders’ opinions at the rural levels on the plan to rebuild the Jos Main Market.

The group of stakeholders that endorsed government’s decision to rebuild the market met on Wednesday in Jos, at the instance of Mr Ibrahim Baba-Hassan, the member representing Jos North-North constituency of Plateau.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Bitrus Pada of the Anaguta Community of the council, described  the move to rebuild the market as a ”good omen” for the state.

Pada, who described the controversies surrounding the plan to rebuild the market as needless, insisted that the market, if reconstructed, would boost the economy of the state.

”That we, the people of Jos North are wholly and fully in support of the laudable move and efforts of this administration to rebuild the Jos main market as this is the desire and collective aspiration of our people.

”We agree that government’s efforts should be intensified toward the rebuilding of the market as it serves as symbol of unity, source of integration and a place for synergy and meaningful development.

”Rebuilding the market will further enhance and solidify the efforts toward enhancing mutual trust, peace, unity and reintegration of our people and boost the business environment for which Jos is known.

”The rebuilding of the market will bring sanity, discipline and organisation to the environment thereby decreasing the incidence of health hazards and insecurity in and around the city and environs,” he said.

Pada also said that his group support the reconstruction of the market in the same location and called on those rejecting the plan to reconsider their position.

He added that the terms contained in the MoU had been clearly and expressly spelled out, adding that the explanations were lucid enough.

However, the stakeholders at the meeting conveyed by Mrs Esther Dusu, the member representing Jos North-West constituency, kicked against the move.

Her media aide, Mr John Kelly, in statement said that the stakeholders present at the meeting said that the move by government to allow Jaiz Bank to rebuild the Jos Main market was not in the best interest of the state.

”Stakeholders in the meeting did not only kick against the move, but also raised various observations.

“One such observation was the parameter government used in arriving at the 40-year plan.

“Another observation was the safety of the current location and why government is not considering the option of collecting loan instead of the partnership with Jaiz Bank.

”The stakeholders also wondered why  government is not considering the submission of the Plateau indigenes in diaspora who have offered to take up the project.

”So, in general, stakeholders of Jos North-West kicked against the move and advised government to suspend the plan,” he said.

Chairman of the Council, Mr Shehu Usaman, religious and community leaders, youth and women groups, among others, attended both meetings on the plans for the Jos Main market.

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