The MP for the Bole-Bamboi constituency Alhaji Yussif Sulemana has said that Bole Town needs a new market for the weekly Friday market days and that the reconstruction of the current Bole Central market might not solve the problem of congestion in the market.
The MP made this comment in connection with the current controversy after the Bole District Assemblies directive to all Bole Central market traders to relocate to a new temporal site in order for reconstruction works to begin at the Central market and the rejection of the site by the market traders.
The Bole MP stated; “I agree with the women’s position that a new market be constructed for Fridays. Let’s be honest, it is an eyesore if you visit the central market on Fridays..the road leading to the Chiefs Palace is always taken over by traders on Fridays and the two sides of the Abu Jaja story building are alway chocked making movement unpleasant and risky”.
He further said; “the population of traders on market days has overgrown the market and require a big and spacious place. However we are not able to come to a conclusion because the information available on the market reconstruction project is scanty”.
Alhaji Yussif Sulemana asked; “Are we going to see high rising buildings? Are we going to see some private houses demolished and appropriate compensations paid so we can have enough space?”.
The Bole MP said there are a number of mind-boggling questions that require answers and he can only profer ideas but the decision is in the hands of the Bole District Assembly traditional chiefs”.
On stakeholder consultations the MP asked; “what stakeholder consultation could have taken place without the consent of the very direct beneficiaries of the project, who are the stakeholders in this project?”.
According to the MP for the Bole-Bamboi constituency “stakeholder identification is critical in project conception up to implementation. Failure to do proper stakeholder identification and consultation is always a recipe for project failure”.
The MP earlier stated that news of the construction of the Bole Central market is a good one but however asked if the Bole District Assembly has taken a snap shot of all traders curenrly at the Bole Central market.
The MP said; “we need to know the number of traders and their current locations because this will enable all those who have been asked to relocate have some entitlement to space in the Bole Central market when construction is over:.
The MP further said; “This in my opinion will reduce disputes”.
Alhaji Yussif Sulemana also said he will do a follow up at the assembly to make hus inputs as a stakeholder.
He said it is important to ensure people are not denied their livelihoods when the construction is completed.
Source: nkilgifmonline.com
