Ever since the Plateau state government announced that it has entered into a public private partnership (PPP) or joint venture agreement (JVA) with Ja'iz Bank late last year for the reconstruction of the burnt Jos main market (Terminus), there's been a torrent of backlash against the idea from many quarters notably: the opposition, tribal associations, and other sundry segments of the Plateau community as to the choice of the financier of the project--Ja'iz Bank.
The Jos main market was built in the 70s by the then military Governor of old Benue-Plateau, Joseph Deshi Gomwalk as an economic hub not just to Plateau, Nigeria but the West African subregion and the market has proven that in its almost three decades lifespan before its eventually destruction in 2002 in what till this day, couldn't be fingered on anybody nor the reason why except what is being heard from the grapevine.
Successive governments have shown little or no efforts in seeing to the reviving of the once brightest bride on the Plateau, sitting elegantly in the city centre, accomodating all and sundry and spreading its ample resources and blessings to people far and near. The Lalong government even before ascending to power, had promised to rebuild the market in its campaigns during the 2015 and 2019 electioneering campaigns respectively which made the APC received massive support from the people.
An attempt was made in 2020 which saw to the destruction of the remaining edifice for reconstruction but nothing was heard thereafter. Two years after the previous effort, the Lalong government entered into a public private partnership (PPP) or joint venture agreement (JVA) as the case may be with Ja'iz Bank and the hullabaloo started.
It should be noted however that, for 20 years, no government has shown the tiniest of interest to rebuild the market until the coming of Lalong. Even during his first tenure, advertisements have been made seeking for contractors to come forth and bid for the reconstruction of the market but none came forth until Ja'iz Bank, a Bank with stellar reputation for excellence and quality conventional and Islamic Banking services with project scattered across the country.
We are not holding brief for the APC or the Lalong government but the public interest clashes with the interests of a certain group who are politically bigoted, deep in premordial baseless senseless sentiments, the former should prevail, ordinarily, especially in a saner clime for which we are. In the joint venture agreement (JVA), it's agreed that the Ja'iz Bank shall provide the finance for the project which shall cost a whopping 10,000,000,000 (ten billion Naira) to be provided by the Bank wholly and it shall be in three phases for a period of one year after all necessary documents have been signed, modalities put in place. The reconstruction will see to the erection of 4321 (four thousand three hundred and twenty one ) shops which the Bank shall retain 60% which is equivalent to 2,621 shops which the Bank will sell to interested parties at the rate of 250,000 each and would hold the lease agreement for 40 years by the time it is assumed that it has recouped its investment. The Plateau state government which is providing zero finance aside the land and other sundry things, would retain 1,700 shops to sell and administer.
However, what is most perturbing is the fact that, on the 26th day of July 2022, a stakeholders meeting was called at the instance of the government to keep the stakeholders abreast before the memorandum of understanding (MoU) is signed this first week of August. At the meeting, various segments of the Plateau people vehemently opposed the arrangement, citing all sorts of unnecessary and baseless fears of mortgaging the future of Plateau and the government conniving with some people to "Islamise" Plateau. The stakeholders conspicuously called for the stoppage of the project with immediate effect.
It is on this note that, we, at the Peoples Redemption Party are calling on the good people of Plateau to not throw away the baby with the bath water because of certain unfounded paranoia. It is on record that, the market has been lying fallow for 20 years without any genuine interest to rebuild it. Plateau is too big and large for Lalong to mortgage its future or the Ja'iz Bank to "Islamise" it. No one is proud of the mess the once beautiful city centre has become littered with heaps of dirt, traders displaying their wares and goods for sale right in the middle of the road because there's no befitting market to accommodate them.
The revenue that is supposed to be accrued to the government which in turn is used for the provision of social amenities like schools, hospitals, good road network, electricity and other infrastructural and developmental projects would be denied if economic activities in large scale cannot operate and this has informed the lean and plummeting internally generated revenue (IGR) the state has been grappling with which in some cases, if not the monthly federal allocation, payment of salaries and other emoluments of workers won't be possible let alone other developmental works.
It's a well known fact that, an idle mind is a devil's workshop and that has added to the incessant security breaches the state has suffered because the restive youths must find ways to channel their energies and exuberance somewhere positively or otherwise. The reconstruction of the market would absorb this youths and take them off the streets to create value for themselves and cater for themselves and their communities which in turn improves security of lives and property.
We at the Peopless Redemption Party (PRP) as stakeholders in the Plateau project, are calling on the Plateau state government and other major stakeholders to fine-tune ways of resolving their seeming differences so as not to miss this golden opportunity which might not present itself for another 20 years. It's pertinent here to note that, when public interest comes in contact with the interests of certain people, the issue at hand should and must be viewed from an informed, knowledge-based and bias-free prism for the betterment of the people and state. While suing for calm, we pray this impasse will be expeditiously resolved and see to mobilisation to site and the commencement of the reconstruction project in earnest.
Sadiq Sabo
Publicity Secretary
PRP, Plateau State.
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