By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The FCT Minister Barr Nyesom Wike has ordered the demolition of all several shops encroaching the road corridor to Kugbo International Market in Abuja.
Wike gave this order on Wednesday when he visited the Kugbo International Market on inspection.
The FCT Minister said, ” This is an investment that should be encouraged, as an international market of this standard. And there are a lot of problems, there is encroachment, and I have directed the Development Control to immediately demolish anything that is going to cause an impediment.”
” This is a road corridor, and we will not allow that, and the Development Control Director , Tpl Mukhar Galadima is here, he has been ordered to move in with his men to demolish whatever is an obstacle.”
The minister stated that the land belongs to the FCT, and noted that the International market which is a Public Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement between the Abuja Investment Company.
Meanwhile, Wike frowned at the sharing formula between the private investor and the FCTA.
He said, “We have a stake, the land belongs to the FCT, and then the company invests. I hear there is a sharing formula, which is not acceptable to me in the first instance.”
” I have directed the Managing Director, to see that they meet with the investor, to see how we can have an arrangement that will be suitable to all of us. For now, the way it is, it is not favourable. It is only favourable to the investor”, he said.
The FCT Minister further called on the investor to finalize the entire market which is expected to be ready by January, adding that the first phase has been completed.
Furthermore,the minister promised that majority of road side traders will be accommodated in the market to make way for free flow of traffic around the market.
He said that the added value of the Kugbo International Market will create employment for people, and people will carry out economic activities, and also decongest the roads where you see everybody taking the road as a market.
“Anybody who is coming to the market will say ‘I am going to Kugbo International Market’, whether it is in terms of manufacturing, whether it is in terms of other things. So, there are so many advantages, it will boost economic activities, it will boost the development of the government.”
” More importantly, it will create a lot of employment. That is what is key to us, employment, and jobs”, he emphasized.
However, the minister has disclosed that in tune with the Renewed Hope Agenda in the FCT, the Administration will support people by empowering them.
“We will see whether we can also put in some funds by taking some stuff and giving it to our people in order to be involved in one trade or the other.”
So, we would do everything to see that people move into this market as quickly as possible, that’s the first phase. So we are happy with what we have seen, he explained.
