By Muhammad Nasir

Sokoto, Dec. 4, 2021

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State has called on the State Government to reconsider its decision on Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the reconstruction and management of the Sokoto Central Market.

Alhaji Sadiq Achida, the state APC Chairman, made the appeal during a news conference in Sokoto on Saturday.

Achida said APC was shocked with reports that the state government was making arrangements to surrender the reconstruction and management of the market to certain financial interests outside the state.

“By so doing, our business community will be open to undue financial exploitation. The action will be most unkind.

“Doing so implies that this is the only administration in the history of Sokoto that has failed in its duty of providing conducive business environment.

“But instead, it has decided to surrender them to private financial institutions whose sole interest is profit maximisation,” he said.

The chairman said it was painful to learn that the government was taking the decision at about the same time when the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari paid the state N18.2 billion as budget support.

“Therefore, as patriotic citizens of Sokoto, who have the interest of our people at heart, we call on the government to reconsider its decision and borrow a leaf from its predecessors.

“These are people who have left a legacy of conducive environment for commerce and industry in Sokoto State,” he noted.