FCTA plans IPP for Wuse market

The project, according to Aliyu Umar, minister of the FCT, will be executed by the administration in collaboration with an investor.

Umar disclosed that the administration had already commenced discussion with the investor, who would provide a high capacity generating plant and sell to traders in the market through metering to ascertain what each trader consumed.

"The FCT administration is already talking to an investor to actualise this dream as well as the traders, so that they can buy into the project in the interest of all and the environment."

He emphasised that the metres would be installed to ensure that all parties got fair deal from the arrangement.

The minister added that the facility, when provided, would alleviate the problem of erratic power supply as well as tackle the problem of fume emission and health-related disease, posed by use of generators in the market.

Meanwhile, the administration has concluded plans for the commissioning of the multi-million farmers market in Maitama, Abuja.

The market will provide an opportunity for farmers to directly sell their products to the public without encumbrance of the middle-men.

According to him, "if we can cut down or reduce the chain of food distribution, the farmers will earn more money and the consumer will also get better value for his/her money."

The minister said that the market, when fully operational, would not only give opportunity to real farmers to sell their products, but would enable them interact with one another to share experiences and ideas for greater output.

Umar noted that the market would also encourage international farmers to come into Abuja to invest and showcase their products by taking advantage of the international gateway through the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

The minister, who said that the prototype farmers market in Maitama was already 80 percent completed, assured that it would be replicated in other districts of the FCT.

"When such markets are provided in all the districts of the city, any resident of Abuja can dash to any nearby farmer market close to their residence to buy fresh food items at ease, which by implication, will reduce congestion we now experience in the few markets we have in Abuja as well as on our roads."