As the controversy surrounding Plateau State government planned contracting rebuilding of Jos Main (Terminus) market to Jaiz Bank rages on, a political analyst and the Executive Coordinator Goal Project, Mr. Simon Asemoh has blamed the face up of the people on the insincerity of Gov. Simon Lalong to the state.
Asemoh, who disclosed this in an exclusive chat with New National Star in it’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja over the weekend said, the way Gov. Lalong is handling the issue left more to be deserved. Adding that the recent comment by Plateau State government media handlers that stakeholders in Plateau State have endorsed the appointment of Lalong as DG campaign of APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu which was debunked immediately and other issues was a pointer that the people are no longer trusting their governor.
According to him, Plateau people have no issue with the rebuilding of the Terminus market but, they wanted to be carried along from the point of negotiation to the signing of the agreement which off course Lalong failed to do. However, he said the worst of it is the aspect where Jaiz Bank is expected to keep 60 percent and the state 40 percent in the next 40 years.
“You see an average Plateau man is glad and really wants to see the rebuilding of the market again because they see it as their collective inheritance considering the huge Revenue that comes from it to the state. Terminus market was seen as the biggest Market in West Africa. It was like a convergence of everybody from all walks of life, and in addition to being seen as a tourist attraction. So, right now, I think, the uprising is as results of insincerity of their state governor to them.
Mr. Asemoh also faulted the government of Plateau State for the choice of Jaiz Bank, considering the religious unrest in Jos over time. He added, Jaiz Bank being an Islamic bank, government that is left with less than nine months should be concentrating on how to complete it projects if any, and not to plunge the state into another round of religious crisis.
However, he said there is a mistrust already between the citizens and it’s government, therefore, advises Gov. Lalong to suspend the purported planned signing of agreement with Jaiz bank.
“The governor should have engaged them well and sample their opinions before taking any decision on that market considering how they see it as their collective inheritance. I discovered that a good number of them want the market to be rebuild but want to avoid any unforseen circumstances. The way Lalong’s government is handling it for me to a very large extent it is shredded in secrecy.
“The people have been worried that Along did not contract the rebuilding of the market to other commercial bank but an Islamic bank. They feared that given the religious sentiments that characterise the state, the 40-year contract shouldn’t have been with Islamic bank that could result to religious crisis in the future”, he said.
It will be recalled that a member representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency of Plateau State, Honourable Dachung Musa Bagos has secured a court injunction at the Plateau State High Court, restraining the state government from signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU ) with Jaiz Bank.
Meanwhile, the state government has claimed that the Jos Main Market will forever remain the property of the Plateau State Government managed by the Jos Main Market Authority while the 40-year lease is for individuals that will buy the shops and not Jaiz Bank.
