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Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela leads others to inspect the Soro international cattle market
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Following reported death of 10 people killed by straying cows in recent years during market days in Soro village, Ganjuwa LGA of Bauchi State due to the siting of the cattle market close to residential area, the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has undertaken the construction of a modern international cattle market in the village.
Speaking during an assessment visit to the project site on Friday in Soro, Managing Director and CEO of NEDC, Dr Mohammad Goni Alkali said that the Commission agreed to construct an international cattle market in Soro in order to safeguard the lives of the people of the town who have fallen victim of attack by stray cows.
Goni Alkali who expressed satisfaction with the quality of the work done so far, assured that the project will be completed by the end of 2021 and will be commissioned for use by the early 2022.
He assured that every needed amenity such as electricity, water, public VIP toilets and other conveniences will be provided within the market for ease of doing business pointing out that it is part of the mandate of the Commission to intervene in areas that will make life easier for people of the North-East subregion.
The NEDC CEO said that, “i have known about this market since my school years and I know how important it is to the people of the area. Based on the information we have, we decided to relocate the market to a more safer and better place”.
Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Sen Baba Tela who led the inspection visit expressed happiness over the project saying that it will go a long way to decongest the town on market days as well as safe lives of innocent people who had fallen victim in the past.
Baba Tela however pointed out that provision should be made to make business transactions in the market easier considering that Nigeria has joined the cashless society calling for mobile banking on market days.
The Deputy Governor also commended the NEDC for accepting to construct the modern cattle market in Soro as well as other interventions in the state since it was established.
Speaking earlier during the inspection, the Member representing Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, Mansur Manu Soro told the State Deputy Governor and the MD/CEO of NEDC, Dr Mohammad Goni Alkali during an on the spot assessment of the relocation of the market to another site that the development became necessary in order to protect lives of innocent people.
The Federal lawmaker said that, “worried by the lost of lives in the cattle market, i moved a request on the floor of the House and my request was forwarded to the NEDC for intervention. I am very happy that today, the project is moving on well”.
He also said that, “considering the size and volume of cattle that come in every market day, we decided to expand the market to conveniently accommodate 3000 cattle at a time and make business transactions easier for the people”.
He said that when completed, the new cattle market will reduce congestion on the main highway and reduce the risk of people getting killed by oncoming vehicles during the market days.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf stressed the need for ownership of the market in order to make it viable and durable saying that, “when the people are involved, they tend to be more involved in the project”.
The new international cattle market will have 48 locked up stalls, two restaurants that can accommodate 100 people at a time, a 200 capacity mosque, a mini cattle clinic, two boreholes and VIP toilets.
