COMMUNITY: Egbedore South Chair, Others Decry Poor Utilisation Of Aje Market
The Chairman, Egbedore South LCDA, Honourable Adekola Ajao and other stakeholders have expressed dissatisfaction over the unimpressive level of utilisation of the Aje International Market by traders in spite of its economic potentials.
According to a statement by the Information Officer of the council, Mrs. Iyabo Adeniran, they spoke at a stakeholders meeting at Ido Osun city hall to rub minds with the developer of Aje International Market towards ensuring sustainable development in the community.
Ajao recalled that he had made several attempts to ensure that the market is utilised by traders in the LCDA and its environs, but lamented that only Hausa traders rented shops at the market so far, noting that the occupants of the shops have been making impressive sales at the market, hence, the reason for the meeting with stakeholders.
The developer of the market, Mr Abiodun Taiwo lamented how he struggled to ensure the market is sited in Ido-Osun, saying the market is one which has the capacity to accommodate 3000 shops with facilities like, cold room, filling station and others facilities.
He regretted that as a developer, he was not encouraged to build more than 600 shops which are not utilised till date.
Taiwo implored the stakeholders to endeavour to convince the traders in the LCDA and its environs to make maximum use of the market to safe the developer from being blamed by the government as well as some other towns and cities who wished the market is sited in their domain at onset.
The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Ismaila Jaiyeoba appreciated Governor Rauf Aregbesola for not playing partisan politics with the project, recalling that the site was initially used for trade fair, but the governor decided to site Aje International Market because of its wideness.
According to him, a hall with a capacity to accommodate 2,000 people was built in the market to host International Trade Fair, saying it was the plan of Ogbeni Aregbesola to enable the traders in Osogbo and environs to shop with ease without travelling to Ibadan or Lagos.
The commissioner therefore enjoined the people of Egbedore South LCDA to give the government maximum co-operation so that the market would be properly utilised.
He suggested that the Olojudo of Ido Osun, Oba Adeen Adedapo should fix a day as market day as a step to utilise the market.
Also, the House of Assembly member representing Egbedore State Constituency, Honourable Abiodun Awolola enjoined clergymen of all religious faith, the Iyalojas’ and traditionalists to help in praying for the survival of the market so that the government would not regret siting the market in Ido Osun.
Oba Adedapo while speaking reinstated that it was not a mistake on the part of government to site Aje International market in Ido-Osun, enjoining the people of the LCDA to put all efforts for the market to function properly at the earliest possible time.
Others at the stakeholders’ meeting included; the APC Chairman, Egbedore Local Government, Mr Fawande, the Iyalojas’ in the LCDA, Community heads, Traditional chiefs, Law enforcement officers amongst others.
