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Arua main market nears completion
A man walks inside Arua Central Market that is near completion. PHOTO/FELIX WAROM OKELLO
What you need to know:
- More than 4,092 traders are expected to start using the market after its handover next month.
Traders in Arua City central market, who were forced to move to congested temporary markets to pave way for its construction, will soon relocate to the modern market that is near completion.
The contractor has covered about 99 per cent of the works and is now cleaning up the buildings. Works on key equipment such as the CCTV cameras, locks, water systems and electricity have been fixed.
The construction of the market delayed for about a year due to the Covid-19 lockdown that affected the transportation of building materials.
The more than 4,092 traders are expected to start using the market after its handover next month.
Sharing her plight at the temporary structure where they have been operating for the last two years, Ms Salima Adiru, a trader, said their merchandise was being stolen.
“We cannot wait to enter the new market, which is more secure,” she said, adding that the leaders should be transparent when allocating the lock up shops to traders.
Another trader, Joseph Asiku, called for proper hygiene and management of garbage.
“Ideally, this market may not accommodate every trader due to the growing population. But once there is proper management, it will help the council to generate revenue,” he said.
Mr Asiku also said the newly-revamped market will enhance trade, self-reliance and peaceful coexistence, especially with traders from the DR Congo.
The head of the project and director at Joadah Consults, Mr Joel Aita, said they have embarked on orienting traders on how to utilise the market.
“Though there has been delay, we are now at 99 per cent and we expect the handover by next month (April). We expect traders and the city council to manage this market very well for at least 100 years,” he said.
The director said with the completion, the city council will recover the revenue lost because many traders had set up illegal markets all over the town.
The mayor of Arua Municipality, Hajj Issa Kato, said once completed, the market will increase local revenue.
“We expect the City Development Forum to engage the traders more in sensitisation on how they can own this project so that we see value for money for many years,” he said.
About Arua market
Facilities, cost. Arua Central Market will have bulk storage facility, day care centre, a clinic and pharmacy, restaurants, a water storage facility, waste collection and disposal system, CCTV cameras and fire-fighting installations, parking facility, and value addition facility, among others.
The project is contracted to M/s Sadeem Al-Kuwait General Trading and Contracting Company and Dott Services Ltd at Shs34.9 billion.
Government took a loan from the African Development Bank to finance the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme Project 2 (MATIP-2).
