CRSG Earmarks N5b For Calabar New Market

By Victor Edem, Calabar

The Cross River State Government is to establish a shopping facility that will serve the market needs of the residents of Calabar Metropolis. Valued at five billion naira, the construction of the new market project is expected to commence in January, 2009 while its first set of tenants will occupy it in January 2010.
Addressing newsmen in an interactive session after a Stakeholders forum on the proposed Calabar Central Market recently with Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, the Special Adviser on Special Projects, Mr. Eyo Ekpo said the new market would not be the end of Watt, Ika Ika Oqua and Mbukpa markets in the metropolis, as they will be redesigned and developed into shopping malls.
According to Ekpo, the new market is conceived as part of the Urban Renewal Programme of the State Government to establish an integrated facility that will serve Calabar metropolis while the town is expanding, the existing markets are becoming congested.
He added that the main markets constituted environmental hazards, as well as, negative influence on the growth of Calabar.
Ekpo disclosed that currently, the timber and building materials markets in Calabar are poorly located which needed urgent attention.
Reading into as matter of concern, government has spent the last few months procuring designs of the facility and finances of the project, explaining that the project will be a Public Private/Partnership (PPP) as funds will be sought from the private sector.
He said government initiated the forum to seek the opinion of various interest groups through their representatives stressing that the project consultant presented the outline and that parties in attendance were better informed after the meeting.
On the location of the market, the Special Adviser remarked that four options were presented at the meeting for the forum to pick one because government will not choose it as it will not be too far nor located inside Calabar, adding that already existing markets are expanding and Local Government rather than putting up new structures should build conveniences.
Ekpo listed members of the proposed Calabar Central Market committee as the Deputy Governor, who is the chairman, while others include five people representing various market unions, Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Commissioner for Local Government, Special Adviser Investment Promotions, Executive Secretary CUDA, members of the State House of Assembly representing Calabar South and Municipality, the two local government Council Chairmen and the Special Adviser Special Projects.
He said a standard neighbourhood market would be built with the inputs of the Local Government Council, while Government has taken into consideration the small scale market needs of the people, stating that there has been transparency in critical features and cost of projects and procurement.
Mr. Kunle Salako of Courtney Michael Partnership Nigeria Ltd, consultant to the project said the market will comprise of 4900 well-designed and purpose built shops that will ensure quality and that it will be developed and delivered on time, adding that the stakeholders will fix the cost and size of the shops.