Bola Jari Traders Hail Gombe Govt as Seven-Hectare Market Site Is Allocated

By Our Correspondent

The Acting Chairman of the Second-Hand Traders Association popularly known as Bola Jari, Adamu Aliyu, has commended the Gombe State Government for allocating a seven-hectare piece of land to the association, describing the move as a major step toward organizing the activities of traders in the state.

Aliyu expressed the appreciation during an inspection visit to the newly allocated site located opposite the Federal College of Education Gombe along Bajoga Road in Gombe.

According to him, members of the Bola Jari Association are grateful to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for what he described as a timely intervention aimed at providing traders with a permanent and more suitable place to conduct their businesses.

“We sincerely appreciate the governor for this initiative. Our members are ready to cooperate fully with government regulations to ensure the success of this project,” Aliyu said.

He also appealed to the government to consider lifting the existing ban affecting the association’s activities, while urging members to remain law-abiding and support government policies and programmes.

The land allocation forms part of the state government’s broader effort to provide traders and artisans with designated areas where they can operate in a more organized and regulated environment.

Speaking during the inspection visit, the Commissioner for Gombe State Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry, Nasiru Mohammed, said the initiative would enable the traders to operate from a single location, thereby improving coordination and regulation within the sector.

He noted that the government has already developed plans and guidelines to streamline the association’s activities, adding that preparations are underway for the traders to relocate to the new site in the near future.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Gombe Geographic Information System (GOGIS), Kabiru Usman Hassan, emphasized the importance of proper planning in modern urban development.

Hassan explained that the allocation of the land reflects the government’s commitment to creating an orderly business environment for traders across the state. He added that the agency would carefully study the current pattern of trading activities within the association to design a well-structured layout that would accommodate traders and improve efficiency.

According to him, the location of the site was carefully selected because of its strategic position and strong potential for growth and future development.

In a similar remark, the Chairman of the Bola Jari Taskforce in Gombe Local Government Area, Mustapha Hussaini, also appreciated the government for what he described as a thoughtful gesture toward improving the welfare and working environment of the traders.

The inspection visit was attended by security personnel as well as officials from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry, who accompanied the delegation to assess the site and discuss plans for the proposed development.