NAN-HE-14
Shops
By Mohammed Baba Busu
Lafia, Jan. 19, 2017 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Government said on Thursday that it would allocate 5,000 lock up shops and open stores to traders across the state to boost socio-economic activities and improve the people’s welfare.
The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Haruna Iliya, announced this while defending the 2017 Budget of the ministry before the House of Assembly Committee on Capital Market, Commerce and Industry in Lafia.
Iliya said the ministry had earmarked N104. 4 million as recurrent expenditure and N765. 5 million as capital expenditure with a total allocation of N869. 9 million for the 2017 fiscal year of the ministry.
“Gov. Tanko Al-Makura is doing his best in promoting commerce and industry in the state. That is why the state government has built Lafia, Akwanga, Keffi modern markets and Karu International Market, among others.
“Some of the markets have been completed while some reached 85 to 95 per cent completion, meaning that in a short while we will have nearly 5,000 shops and open stores across the state that will be given to traders.
“The intention of the state government is to fight unemployment, reduce youth restiveness, raise the revenue base of the individual and the government, among others,” he said.
Iliya said that the revenue profile of the state would soon be high and expressed optimism that the state would experience more economic boom when economic activities finally began in the markets.
He assured all categories of traders in the state of the ministry’s commitment and determination to consider them during the allocation of shops at the market.
The commissioner commended Gov. Al-Makura for his business oriented mind and called on the people to support the administration to enable him to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.
Ibrahim Bala (APC-Keffi West), Chairman of the committee, expressed the assembly’s commitment to partner with the executive arm, to fight poverty, unemployment and improve the people’s welfare.
Bala assured the commissioner that the committee would ensure that the right thing was done in the interest of the people and for overall development of the state. (NAN)
BAB/ORO/IA
Edited by Razak Owolabi/Idris Abdulrahman