YOLA — The Adamawa State Government has blamed leaders of traders’ unions for the confusion and protests surrounding the allocation of shops at the newly commissioned Modibbo Adama Ultra-Modern Market in Yola.
The government alleged that several irregularities and sharp practices occurred during the compilation of the list of beneficiaries who previously owned shops at the market before it was demolished and reconstructed.
The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Chief Joab Sahma, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Yola, explaining that the ministry had received numerous complaints from individuals and groups who claimed to be genuine former shop owners but were left out of the allocation process.
According to him, the state government subsequently constituted a committee to investigate the complaints and review the lists submitted by the various traders’ unions.
Sahma said the committee, during its investigation, uncovered what he described as serious irregularities in the compilation of the beneficiaries’ lists by some union leaders.
He alleged that fictitious names were included in the lists, while some genuine former shop owners were deliberately omitted from the allocation process.
“The committee discovered several irregularities allegedly perpetrated during the compilation of the lists by some union leaders. It found that fictitious names had been inserted, while genuine former shop owners were omitted,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the government was compelled to remove the names of those found to be fictitious beneficiaries in order to ensure that shops were allocated only to legitimate former owners.
He further alleged that some union leaders manipulated the allocation process for personal interests, stressing that the state government would not tolerate any form of malpractice or exploitation in the distribution of the shops.
Sahma also raised concerns over reports that some unscrupulous individuals had taken advantage of the desperation of prospective shop owners by collecting millions of naira from them with promises of securing shop allocations.
He warned members of the public to be cautious and avoid dealing with individuals who demand money in exchange for allocations, particularly where such persons have no official authority to allocate shops.
The commissioner assured genuine former shop owners who were affected by the irregularities that their claims would be properly reviewed and that eligible beneficiaries would receive their allocations upon the completion of the verification process.
He said the government remained committed to ensuring transparency and fairness in the allocation of shops at the market, adding that the ongoing verification exercise was aimed at correcting the discrepancies discovered in the earlier lists.
Sahma also disclosed that the shopping complex currently under construction is about 80 per cent completed and is expected to be handed over to the Adamawa State Government on or before September.
The commissioner expressed optimism that the completion of the project would provide a more organised trading environment and improve commercial activities in the state capital.
