By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Government has ordered street traders in Wurukum to move to the newly commissioned Cad Market.
The order was given by Mr Ternongu Mede, the General Manager, Urban Development Board, while commissioning Cad Market located beside Victoria Atorough Tyough Complex, off Wurukum Market, Makurdi.
Cad market, Mr Mede said, aims to address the risks of accidents and congestion posed by street trading.
Mede, represented by a head of department in the agency, Terlumun Orhembetyoga, commended the project initiator, Arc. Tyoapine Tsegba, a town planner, for ensuring an organised market to beautify the environment and help traders.
Arc. Tsegba, Managing Director and Chief Executive of CAD Construction and Development Company, encouraged interested individuals to acquire shops in the market, emphasising their affordability and the absence of harassment.
“They should come in; we still have plenty of shops. The GM of Urban Development declared that street trading will no longer be tolerated, so they need to find space here,” Tsegba stated, describing the market as makeshift.
The contractor, Engr Francis Tse, highlighted the market’s well-structured and conducive shops, designed to relocate street traders and enable Governor Hyacinth Alia to plan for better market access.
Regarding shop costs, Market Secretary Mr. Sekav Solomon Kwaghvihi explained that a space costs N40,000, while a fully constructed shop costs N240,000. Upon payment, the shop belongs to the owner, who can sell or rent it, with an annual fee of N40,000.
Kwaghvihi attributed the market’s inception to addressing pollution concerns in the area. “We started the market in April this year with a ground rent of N40,000. Anyone paying N40,000 can start trading and subsequently, pay N40,000 annually.”
In various goodwill messages, kindred head of Bende Agadum Logo lI community, Makurdi , Zaki Mathias Orban Kungur, Director, Whole Sellers Association, Mr Ater Aondoaver Uta, youth leader of Wurukum community, Mson Ater, a shop owner, miss Wandoo Kuku, all applauded the initiative and encouraged street traders in Wurukum to move into the CAD market.
Particularly, Zaki Kungur charged residents within the environs to guard the market jealously while the youth leader, Mson Ater, guaranteed adequate security.
“It’s better they should move inside because as you can see the environment, it is very clean and the place is wide enough to accommodate everybody. Staying outside is really congested. So, I feel they should come inside to take a better place”, Kuku advised street traders.
Similar initiatives have been implemented in other states, such as Ekiti, where the government warned against street trading, citing concerns over traffic congestion, waste management, and accidents.
