By Eunice Orike
The Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, has begun the construction of a 2,000-shop ultramodern market in Wasa District, in a move expected to open up the area to commercial activities and reduce pressure on existing markets in the Federal Capital Territory.
The market, being developed through a Public-Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement between AMAC and Imavug Ltd., will occupy 7.5 hectares of land near Wasa Primary School, along Apo-Karshi Road.
The groundbreaking ceremony was performed on Tuesday by the AMAC Chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, with traditional rulers, council officials, traders’ associations and residents in attendance.
Speaking at the event, Maikalangu said the council entered into the partnership because it could not develop all its markets with its available resources.
“This is a market that belongs to Abuja Municipal Council, As you all know, AMAC cannot develop all the markets alone, so we have to partner with Imavug Nigeria Limited because of their capacity,” he said.
The chairman said the project would stimulate economic activities in Wasa and benefit surrounding communities, particularly women and youths.
He urged residents to cooperate with the developer and ensure that members of the host community were carried along throughout the construction.
Maikalangu also assured prospective traders that the shops would be affordable, adding that council engineers would monitor the project from the foundation stage to completion to ensure that approved construction standards were followed.
He said although the developer had requested two years to complete the project, he was hopeful that it would be delivered earlier.
Speaking with journalists after the ceremony, the chairman said the market would provide a modern trading centre for residents of the area and help reduce roadside trading in the city centre.
“This market is situated in Wasa District, precisely the South-West side,as we all know, we have no market in this area yet.
With the support of our honourable minister, we have to expand our market so that people selling things along the roadside in the city will come down to this market,” he said.
Explaining the partnership arrangement, Maikalangu said AMAC would provide the land while the private investor would provide the resources for the construction.
“We have the land, he has the resources. So, whatever is done here, we have a certain percentage for the developer and the government, It is a kind of PPP arrangement,” he added.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Imavug Ltd., Albert Erhabor, described the project as a dream market designed to address challenges associated with existing markets in the FCT, including congestion and poor planning.
Erhabor said the company consulted traders in Gudu and other markets to understand their needs and the problems they face before designing the new facility.
“This land is 7.5 hectares, it will take over 2,000 shops of various sizes on various floors. What we tend to do here is to turn it into a market that everyone will be proud to be part of,” he said.
He disclosed that the market would have shops measuring four, 12, 20 and 75 square metres, as well as duplex shops, warehouses, restaurants, banks and event halls.
The developer also said the facility would have alternative sources of electricity, including solar power, while the pricing arrangement would accommodate traders with different levels of income.
“We brought our financiers, our bankers are here. Most of the shops have been taken up, It is affordable because the prices are not cast in stone. Even the shop for the woman selling tomatoes has a place,” he said.
Erhabor expressed confidence that the market would attract traders and buyers to Wasa, stimulate business activities and encourage development in surrounding communities.
Also speaking, the District Head of Waru, Chief Ibrahim Sarki, commended Maikalangu for the initiative, saying the project would help reduce poverty by bringing commercial activities and essential goods closer to residents.
He said the market would also save residents the cost and stress of travelling to Suleja and other distant places to buy basic commodities.
The Wasa Ultramodern Market is expected to be completed within 24 months.
