Reconstruction of burnt Bida market starts

By Justina Asishana, Minna

Reconstruction of the Etsu Musa Market in Bida has begun, 30 months after it was engulfed by fire.

Over 600 shops were engulfed in the midnight fire in March 2018, which destroyed goods and property worth millions in the old market.

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Laying the foundation of the market in Bida over the weekend, House of Representatives for Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Saidu Abdullahi, said the reconstructio is a project under the zonal intervention project for his constituency in 2020.

He said he decided to facilitate the project seeing the economic advantage and socio-economic importance of the market to his people.

“We are not oblivious of the history of Bida especially the history of the Etsu Musa market. I know how attached our people are to the market, my grandmother used to have a kiosk in that market, so I have a little history of where we are coming from in terms of that market and where we are now and the hardship the inferno of 2018 have caused on the people.

“By every account, the Etsu Musa Market project is one of the most important projects we have facilitated. This is because not only does it have a direct positive impact on the socio-economic lives of the people, but also for the fact that it will be a dream come true for shop owners whose businesses and sources of livelihood have been affected by the fire incident since 2018.

“Immediately we got this opportunity, we started thinking of how to enhance the socio-economic development of this environment. Aside from its economic advantage, we also have to look at the social importance of the market.

“The market is more of a melting point where you have people from every aspect of the nation.

“It, therefore, becomes incumbent on us to improve and reconstruct the market in order to improve the welfare of the people.”

Abdullahi said N300 million has been voted for the first phase of the market, adding it is a multi-billion project and would be an ultra-modern market when completed.

He assured the affected marketers whose shops were affected, saying that they will be the first to be considered after the reconstruction have been done.

Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Traditional Council of State, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar commended the legislator for facilitating the reconstruction of the market saying it will bring great relief to the people.

One of the lead Engineers on site, Engineer Emmanuel Olufemi, who represented the Contractor, Acute Option Limited, said the project will be completed in the next two months.

He assured the people that they will not fail or compromise in meeting up to expectation.

One of the representatives of the market leaders, Abdulwahab Olekanmi, expressed the joy and happiness of every affected trader in seeing the reconstruction of the market.