By Taiye Bayode
The Kogi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry has pledged to strengthen communication and collaboration with merchants on the Lokoja International Market, assuring the market union that considerations raised by its members could be conveyed to the suitable authorities for essential motion.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hajiya Musa-Amana Sualihat, gave the reassurance when she acquired the newly inaugurated executives of the Lokoja International Market Traders Union on the State Secretariat.
Sualihat welcomed the delegation, describing the go to as a constructive step in the direction of constructing a stronger working relationship between the Ministry and the market group.
She defined that the Ministry was answerable for serving to the federal government formulate commerce and commerce insurance policies and overseeing their implementation by means of related businesses.
On the continued building of the ultra-modern Lokoja International Market, the Permanent Secretary disclosed that the Ministry maintained common supervisory visits to the challenge web site each fortnight, in collaboration with technical consultants and engineers monitoring the development.
She famous that technical points, together with drainage specs, have been receiving consideration, assuring merchants that the challenge was being monitored to make sure that it met the required requirements.
According to her, the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo plans to full and take over the market by June 2027, after which merchants are anticipated to relocate to the brand new facility. She added that particulars of the relocation could be communicated to the merchants in the end.
The Permanent Secretary inspired the union to keep cordial relations with the challenge consultants and channel complaints by means of the Ministry for acceptable intervention.
She additionally highlighted alternatives accessible to small and medium-scale companies, together with empowerment programmes facilitated in partnership with the Bank of Industry. She suggested merchants to liaise with the casual sector union to entry related assist and maximise the advantages of such initiatives.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Lokoja International Market Traders Union, Alhaji Hassan Inuwa, mentioned the go to was aimed toward formally introducing the union’s new management to the Ministry, whose duties are intently related to the every day operations of the market.
Inuwa, who disclosed that he had just lately visited the ultra-modern market building web site, expressed satisfaction with the tempo and high quality of labor.
He recommended the constructions supplied on the facility, notably the warehouses, and praised Governor Ododo for the continued challenge, which he mentioned would enhance buying and selling actions and create a extra conducive enterprise atmosphere.
The union chairman additionally known as for stronger communication between the Ministry and the market group, noting that the union may serve as an efficient channel for conveying merchants’ considerations and offering helpful info to the federal government.
He defined that the union introduced collectively 21 sections and associations throughout the market and had an operational secretariat by means of which the federal government may conveniently interact its members.
In his vote of thanks, the union’s Secretary, Alhaji Armadu Adamu, appreciated the Ministry for the nice and cozy reception and expressed the union’s readiness to collaborate with the federal government on forthcoming commerce expos and different initiatives aimed toward selling industrial actions.
The assembly ended with each events expressing optimism that improved engagement between the Ministry and the merchants would strengthen cooperation, deal with market-related considerations and improve the contribution of the Lokoja International Market to commerce, enterprise and financial progress in Kogi State.
