Why my palace advised demolition of fruits market – Agora of Zuba

The Agora of Zuba, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Umar, has said he and members of his traditional council advised that the fruits market in the area be demolished in order to have a more befitting market in the area. Bello, who was reacting to comments making rounds in the area over the move to demolish the […]

The Agora of Zuba, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Umar, has said he and members of his traditional council advised that the fruits market in the area be demolished in order to have a more befitting market in the area.

Bello, who was reacting to comments making rounds in the area over the move to demolish the fruits market, said the palace suggested to the government that shop owners in the market should be compensated or they should be relocated within the FCT.

He said he was dismayed when he heard some people saying the chiefdom was not interested in development, stressing that the chiefdom was very much interested the people’s progress. 

“All we are emphasising on is that any shop owner or kiosk owner should be compensated,” he said.

The traditional ruler stressed, however that whoever was embarking on the project should ensure that traders were duly compensated.

“In fact at the meeting, I and members of my traditional council advised that whoever was going to embark on the project should ensure that shop owners are duly compensated or relocated either within my chiefdom or anywhere within the FCT,” he added.

He said traders who stayed at markets such as that of Dei- Dei and timber markets and pantaker were forced to move to neighbouring Niger State due to non-compensation to them when the markets were being developed.

“Nobody will say he does not want the market to be built in his domain, but we have to ensure that the rights of traders staying in such places are given priority,” he said.