Kuje signs MOU with private coy to upgrade main market

By Usman Shuaibu

In order boost the socio economic activities in Kuje Area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the chairman of the council Hon. Ishaku Shaban Tete, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Green House International Ventures Limited, a private firm, to develop and manage the place before handing it back to the government.

Peoples Daily gathered that the agreement for the multi-million contract was signed on the 15th August, 2014, to enable the company rebuild the market, so as to meet up with the international standard.

The managing director of the company, Barrister Ose Ogunkorode, stated this in a statement he signed and made available to Peoples Daily on Wednesday, in Kuje, said that if the market is rebuilt, the company would manage it for twenty-five years before handing over to the area council.

According to him, the contract is a great example of the Federal Government’s public-private partnership (PPP) initiative designed to promote the development of infrastructure in the FCT and the country at large.

He explained that the purpose of rebuilding the market is to improve the socio-economic development of the residents of kuje, in order to enable them to compete favourably with other marketers in the territory.

He further said that if the project is completed the facilities such as 532 lock-up shops, 2 warehouses, 500 open shops, 72 plaza stores, one modern abattoir, daycare centre, medical centre, places of worship and police post would be provided for the betterment of the traders.

Continuing, he added that toilet and other conveniences, a bank, fire service post, organized car park, central refuse evacuation point, modern and well secured gates and security cameras among other facilities would be put in place to uplift the standard of the market.

He stressed that a plan is in top gear to liaise with reputable banks in the community to provide mortgage facilities for the traders, to encourage them to purchase the shops of their choice.

To this end, he disclosed that the management of ASO Savings and Loans bank in the area council had agreed to partner with the developers as well as traders to give the loans to them to fast track the progress of their business.

The managing director pointed out that the leadership of the company has begun series of meetings with the administration of the Council, stakeholders and traders in the area to ensure that the traders did not suffer during the construction and modernization of the market.

The contractor, however, said that efforts would be intensified by the area council to relocate the traders to a temporary place when the construction of the market commences in full gear.