By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in.Minna)
Traders at the popular Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Central Market in Suleja, Niger state, have protested against alleged plans by the authorities of the Suleja Local Government Area to expand some structures within the already congested market, which, to them, would only amount to disaster in waiting.
The traders carrying placards with inscriptions against the Hon. Ishyaku Bawa Naibi led administration, accused the local government authorities of formulating policies to further compound their socio-economic frustrations through multiple levies and taxes.
They called for the intervention of the Niger state government and security agencies, claiming that some of their members are being threatened by some people loyal to the Naibi led administration for speaking out against he local government for using different strategies to exploit them.
Spokesperson for the traders group, Mr. Obilly Nwaeze, narrated how they (traders) have severally asked for a round-table discussion and interface to iron out the issues with the local government, but such requests were rebuffed with threats from the agents of the local government.
Nwaeze argued that, "If there are plans to re-model the market or any form of expansion, the traders should be carried along. But in this case, they are not telling us anything than asking us to pay different sums of money, marking our shops for demolition under flimsy excuses.
“They asked us to pay N1.2 million each for each shop so that it can be raised to upstairs structures, but they later reduced it to N800,000. But they refused to tell us what the money is specifically for. They also demanded that we pay another N10,000 non-refundable for forms.
"The government can open up more markets on fresh ground instead of trying to turn shops built about 30 years ago into upstairs, just because they want increased revenue", Nwaeze said, arguing further that, “Such adjustments is just an invitation to disaster because the shops will start collapsing”.
Some of the traders like, Hajiya Sadiya Bello and Mrs. Rachael Adeniji, in their respective contributions, accused the Local Government authorities of having a hidden agenda for keeping their claimed development plans shrouded in secrecy.
They accused the chairman and his team of insincerity, arguing that, “If whatever adjustment they claim to be doing is meant for the traders, why are the traders not being carried along? Why are they not allowing us to make contributions to whatever they are doing?
"It is unacceptable for the local government to be demanding monies from people on a daily basis without telling them what the monies are being used for or even allowing their input to whatever expansion they are doing".
Meanwhile, the chairman of Suleja Local Government, Bawa Naibi, in his reactions, blamed the face-off between his office and the traders as the handiwork of some ‘mischief makers’, distorting facts to suit their purpose.
The chairman who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Haruna Garba Kaniko, also said that he is not aware of the N1.1 million and other levies as demanded from each of the traders/shop owners for expansion purposes.
He told NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper Correspondent that the council embarked on demolition and adjustments in the market for safety purpose, to be upgraded to upstairs”.
The chairman who however tactically avoided areas regarding the possibility of the Local government opening up new layouts for markets to ease congestion of the markets taking into consideration the topography of Suleja town, said, “IBB market has 1, 280 shops capacity, according to the original master plan, but today, not less than 7, 000 shops are there.
“I think there is lack of effective communication between the committee handling the market adjustments and the key stakeholders. I believed if there were wide consultations, what is happening now could have been avoided”, he said, assuring that the matter will be resolved soon. NNL.
