…as victims lament abandonment
By: Mosunmola Ayobami, Kwara
The former Chairman of Transition Implementation Committee (TIC), in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Mr Oladipupo Ali has explained that negotiation between the marketers and LG was the main reason for the delay in re constructing the burnt shops
The former LG boss which Houses the incessant burnt Ojatun-tun Market said there was a plan to get a developer to rebuild the burnt shop in upstairs so as to give the initial shop owners the downstairs free of charge while he least out the upstairs section till he rake in his money within a period of time and then hand it over to the Local Government.
Ali made this disclosure while speaking with Westernpost Correspondent in Ilorin on Thursday reacting to alleged abandonment by victims of April 1st fire incident in the market.
“The delay in reconstruction of the shop was as a result in negotiation of whether to make it upstairs of downstairs through a consultant so the downstairs can be theirs but they refused but said they will raise the money themselves through the well meaning marketers in the market to rebuild the burt shops which on the side of Local government raised some questions.
“The Journalist turned politician debunked the rumor making round that the Council directed the marketers to raised N10Million to rebuild the affected shops.
“LG do ask them to raised 10m to rebuild,its the marketers that says they will raise 10m to build on their own which LG do not accept until they accept to a sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pay due revenue as expected.
“Since they have agreed to build it on their own and the Council has met with Special Assitant on Commerce to look into haven known there is no agreement to exploit with it,though both the Council and marketers are still at the point of Negotiation on whether the marketers will build it themselves or not,saying the point for negotiation is that if they build it themselves they will sign an MoU to pay due fee to LG as ever, then the case will be settle,” He added.
The immediate past TIC chairman when asked if there are other aide the government will render,he said the state government through SA Emergency will do something when the time comes as he was at the scene when the incident happened .
However a Business mogul in the market Hajia Rasidat Oloriegbe has refuted the rumour of donating N3Million for the reconstruction of the burnt shops adding the the whole amount for the renovation was N5Million and not 10Million as been paddle around.
She made the clarification in a phone conversation with Westernpost Correspondent to debunk rumours that she intend to acquire some section of the shops after she must have donated the money.
“The amount for the reconstruction was N5 Million and I can’t remember promising to donate N3Million for reconstruction of the shops and on acquiring a section there was nothing like that as she does not have a shop among the burnt shops,” She explained.
Meanwhile some victims of the fire incident has lament over delay in reconstruction of the shops, and inability to raised a huge some of money to continue their businesses.
