3 hours ago
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By Philomina Attah
The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has begun the construction of a 2,000-shop Ultramodern Market in Wasa, designed to boost economic activities in the district.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between AMAC and Imavug Nigeria Ltd., is sited on 7.5 hectares of land near Wasa Primary School on the Apo-Karshi Road corridor.
AMAC Chairman, Mr Christopher Maikalangu, during inauguration of the project in Wasa on Tuesday, said that the market, when completed, would drive economic activities in Wasa District and benefit neighbouring communities.
“This is a market that belongs to AMAC. As you all know, the council cannot develop all the markets alone, so we have to partner with Imavug Nigeria Ltd because of its capacity.
“We have the land, the developer has the resources. So, whatever is done here, we have a certain percentage for the developer and the government. It is a kind of a PPP arrangement.
“When this market is completed, it is going to drive economic activities in Wasa District. So many communities will benefit. Our women will benefit and our youth will also benefit,” he said.
He urged residents to support the developer and give the company maximum cooperation, while charging the developer to carry the host community along during construction.
Maikalangu, who assured residents that shops in the market would be affordable, added that the council’s engineers would monitor the project from foundation to completion to avoid substandard work.
He said the developer requested a two-year completion period, but expressed hope that the project would be delivered in less than two years.
The council chairman added that the market would address the lack of market facilities in the area and decongest roadside trading in the city centre.
“As we all know, we don’t have a market in this area but with the support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, we have been able to locate one in Wasa.
“This will discourage people from selling their goods on the roadside,” he said.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Imavug Nigeria Ltd., Mr Albert Erhabor, described the project as “a dream market” designed to correct challenges in existing markets in the FCT.
Erhabor said the company had consulted traders in Gudu and other markets to understand their challenges, including congestion and poor zoning.
“What we intend to do here is to turn this place into a market that everyone will be proud to be part of,” he said.
He said the market would feature shops of four, 12, 20, and 75 square metres, duplex shops, warehouses, restaurants, banks and event halls, running on renewable energy.
“Most of the shops have been taken up because they are affordable. Even shops for women selling tomatoes have a place here,” Erhabor said.
In his remarks, the District Head of Waru, Malam Ibrahim Sarki, commended AMAC chairman saying, “the project will help eradicate poverty by reducing the need for residents to travel to Suleja and other distant markets for basic goods. (NAN)
Edited by Philip Yatai
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