By Baba Yusuf
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, recently performed the groundbreaking for the relocation of Kurudu, estimated to gulp N1.5 billion.
The project, situated at Kurudu, a satellite town in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), is being developed by the council in partnership with AMAC-Investment and Property Development Company (IPDC) Ltd.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the minister said the establishment of the market slated for completion within six months, will reduce the pressure on the highway and other major road corridors in the FCT, where many people are illegally trading.
Represented by the Acting Secretary, FCT Area Councils Secretariat, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, the minister, specifically, noted that the market, when completed, would not only impact positively on the lives of people in AMAC, but all residents of the FCT.
He said: “This relocation market is for the people as it will affect the lives of the people of AMAC and FCT in general. With the completion of this ultra-modern market, many the traders will be relocated and the main streets will be cleaner and healthier for the people of the Territory.
“We are witnessing the realisation of part of the vision and mission of Candido-led AMAC, and we can see that from the day they (councils’ chairmen) were sworn in till date, a lot of activities are taking place in AMAC, as we have not only done a lot of groundbreaking events, but we have even commissioned projects.
“So, you can see resources or no resources, once you have vision, you can move your council forward and the establishment of AMAC-IPDC is
one of the revealed important vision of the council, as it is starting on a good note.
“I wish to congratulate the AMAC chairman, for having the vision of establishing the AMAC-IPDC, and we wish the company fruitful ventures that will turn the lives of people in the council and FCT in general.
“We know that the Area Councils are the closet to the people, and as such whatever happens at this level of government affect the FCT generally, because that is where the majority people reside.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, AMAC chairman, Abdullahi Adamu Candido, revealed that the relocation market was conceptualised by the last administration, but inherited by his administration as a mark of continuity in government.
He explained that the development of the market was one of the maiden business ventures being handled by the AMAC-IPDC, expressing confident that with the well laid down plan of the project, there would be quality output at the end, which would be of immense benefit to subscribers.
Describing the market as a landmark project, Candido said “it will further boost our revenue profile and flourish the business environment of the council.
“Particularly, it will create a new business hub around the Jikwoyi- Kurudu axis, and also generate urban intra-resettlement movement, which shall reduce pressure on the infrastructure of other satellite towns.
“Nobody will be shortchanged-the members of the society will not be shortchanged; the developer will not be shortchanged; and the council administration will not be shortchanged in the process.”
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders in the Council and FCTA ‘to partner with us in this stride as we would not be able to build this magnificent facility without your support and encouragement.’
On his part, Managing Director, AMAC-IPDC, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed Adamu, who gave a brief overview of the market, said there were three categories of shops in the market with varying fixed subscription rates.
He said the informal sector, which “are cubicles that can be subscribe for the sum of five hundred thousand naira each, we have two types of lock-up shops-that go for one million-ninety thousand naira and one million-two hundred and fifty thousand Naira respectively.