From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) designated some markets in all the zones and areas of the city. These markets are known by their locations. They include, Area 10, Utako, Garki, Wuse, Nyanya and Karu.
But, as population grows, other markets sprang up. These are regarded by the FCT as “illegal.” They are raided from time to time by government agencies. The more these markets are raided, the more they spring up. The market operators always allegedly enter into illegal arrangements with the task force men who “legalise” or “authenticate” their stay.
One of these markets is in the heart of the Federal Secretariat, beside the Ministry of Education. The place is supposed to be a link road to the National Assembly, Amusement Park, Federal High Court and Transcorp Hilton Hotel, but with the presence of the market, the road is now impassable.
Worse still, the market has taken over all the uncompleted secretariat buildings around the area. Civil servants are not complaining because they are the immediate beneficiaries of the market.
Most of the workers purchase their foodstuffs from the market. The food condiments include meat, vegetables, palm oil and clothing. All manner of things one can buy in an organised market are available at this Federal Secretariat Market. Workers are usually seen in the market at the time they are supposed to be in their offices.
At the beginning, the market was constantly raided. But now, there seems to be an agreement between the market operators and the relevant government agencies.
According to one of the traders, they pay N500 every Friday and N1000 every last Friday of the month to the task force men so that they can remain in business. She told Daily Sun that civil servants are not only their customers: “Some of our customers come from Maitama, Wuse and even Asokoro.”
But, Head, Corporate Affairs/Business Development, Abuja Market Management Limited (AMML), Mr Innocent Amaechina, described the task force that allowed traders to continue business in such a sensitive place as amorphous and faceless: “They do not have the right to collect levy from the traders.
“Officially, we are not aware (that the market exists). But we are aware that there are such violations here and there. We are also aware that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), is doing all within its powers to ensure that such illegal gatherings called markets are either removed or regularised, especially with the team led by our own, Ikaro.
“We are in touch with the relevant government agencies. AMML is saying that such illegal markets should not be allowed to exist in the federal capital city, especially at the city centre.
“I am not aware of this one you are talking about. But if that is true, you can imagine how people just gather in places like that without even fear.
“We are appealing to anybody who is doing that to desist from doing that. They should see how they can work together with AMML to get a befitting space and a befitting location where businesses can be done with authorisation.
“Market is of course, essential in every society. We are aware also that the population of FCT is increasing everyday. If population is increasing that is how the need for such services will also be increasing.
“We can regularise where it is possible. I am not saying that if you are on a road we can now come to turn a road into market. The markets are scattered all over. Some of them are on transit ways. Some of them are in locations that are strictly speaking, not earmarked for market.
“We can regularise where it is possible, definitely not the type you are talking about. Everyday you hear that in Gwarinpa, people just gather and allocate to themselves markets.
“We are saying that, that is not acceptable. They are operating as if there is no rule or order. But it is a no-no for this market on the road. There is no way we can accept it.
“On the rule guiding setting up market in FCT, the much I know is that we have a mandate to provide facility management services for markets in FCT, especially the ones owned by FCT through Abuja Investment Limited.
“Ours is strictly market management. Whatever I tell you now is the much we know as market managers.
“On the rules guiding markets, there are distinct government agencies in FCT, like Lands Department and Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS). They all work together to make sure that the facilities required for a functional city like FCT are provided for. It is not really for AMML to say.
“Abuja is a planned city. There are designs for markets, hospitals and schools. They are all there in the master plan. Anything that is not within the master plan as market should not be recognised as market.”