ECONOMIC QUAGMIRE IN JOS

The Jos metropolitan economic structure, especially the Market structure has bedeviled the revenue of the State. There is dire need for the Government to identify new and robust sources of generating revenue internally. The streets of Ahmadu Bello way and the Terminus areas have become the beehives of economic activities to the detriment of motorist and pedestrians. A passerby will have to bump shoulders with sellers of various kinds of items and say sorry for either being stepped on or for stepping on someone’s toes. Areas demarcated for cars to be parked have become selling points for traders. 

A shop owner around the Abuja market, craving anonymity, told ‘The Natifz Times’ reporters that since the advent of those displaying their goods on the pedestrian and the front of his shop, his sales has dropped drastically and still at the end of the day, the Government will come to ask for tax, he further asked “where am I suppose to get the money to pay them considering these people selling on the streets. Mind you, when the tax collectors come they over look them. Even if they ask them to pay, tomorrow they will change spots.” True to his position as it can be seen people are busy day in day out selling and unmindful of any lurking danger.      

At the premises of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), as our reporter waited to be ushered in to interview a senior officer of the Board, a conversation with a staff of the board ensued on anonymity, he said that when you consider the roads where these traders sell their goods are not big enough and allowing them to sell or trade on the streets is not be safe for them, as a car may lose control and run over them. He went further to state that allowing them to do business on the roads defaces the metropolis; the beauty of the road will no longer be there. He finally observed that for security reasons, selling on the streets should be discouraged because when they are busy buying and selling, no one is watching out for the safety of the other. That their actions are geared towards evading paying rents as well as tax to the Government, and yet they would turn round and say that they cannot see the dividence of democracy, he then asked, “please tell me, how can the Government meet up to its responsibilities when the traders keep behaving this way?” Our reporter was made to understand that time without number, the JMDB has advised traders to vacate the streets and secure shops.

Looking back, when the enviable Jos Main Market was the biggest and state of the art edifice in the whole of West Africa and the first of it’s kind, it was much more easier for revenue to be collected, rents were paid as well as toll gate fee. Its absence has created a big void in terms of accessing and assessing businesses and decongesting the roads. Our reporter was made to believe that plans are in the pipe line to rebuild the Jos Main Market.

Although street marketing is frowned at by the JMDB, many traders embrace it due to the profits they make and other reasons. 

Furthermore, the JMDB through the assistant director of Environmental Health Department, Mr. Joshua Godwin Chunggyang Nyako told our correspondent that there are empty shops in the Jos Terminus Market but some traders choose to trade on the streets instead. 

Commenting on the above, one of the street traders (name withheld) in the market said the place given to them “is at the back of the market and dilapidated. Whenever it rains, the place becomes very muddy.” He additionally told our correspondent that “the only thing that will make us leave the streets is when the Government provides a better place for us to trade.”

“There are several markets provided by the Government in the city: These markets are satellite, New Era cinema, yan shanu amongst others” reports Mr. Nyako.

It is really very clear that some of these street traders are not willing to exit the streets. One of the traders Mr. Mahmoud Ahmad said that he and many other Muslims are scared to relocate to Satellite market for fear of their lives and property. He also added that all the other markets will not fetch them good money as the Terminus market because it is located at the heart of the city and hence many buyers prefer it than the others (markets).

However, trading on the streets of Jos is a crime if caught and found guilty, street traders would be fined some token or be imprisoned.

A reporting from the Natifz Times Newspaper Volume. 1 Number. 4