Traders and other service providers at Bukuru Market, popularly known as Runfa Market, were in panic Sunday over a quit notice issued by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Hon. Gideon Dandareng, to vacate the market.
Traders said they were asked to quit the market as the LG has engaged a private company to rebuild it without any relocation arrangement for them.
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Chairman of the market union, Muhammad Sa’idu Jide, spoke to our correspondent about this: “We have well-organised structures in the market. We have employed the services of vigilantes who go round to ensure that no crime is committed there. We have been living in peace with everybody regardless of our ethno-religious differences.”
On rebuilding of the market, Jide said, “We are not against the reconstruction of the market and are ready to cooperate with the government but we fear that there is no evidence-based preparation to embark on the project and assurance that the market will be rebuilt.
“Thousands of people source for their living from the market. If another temporary place would be provided, that would be welcome.”
However, the LG Chairman, Dandareng, said the quit notice was issued after a report by the market community about criminal activities including rape.
“And above all, that market is non-existent because the government has already closed the market since the crisis and nobody is paying any tax to the government. So, we have engaged a contractor to rebuild the market for the good of the community. We will reconvene another stakeholders’ meeting to hear from them again because our government listens to people,” said Dandareng.
The traders appealed that they would be allowed to operate until an alternative is in place.
