Hard time awaits street hawkers as Benue EXCO orders street vacation

By  Titus Atondu, Makurdi

Hard time awaits street hawkers around Wuruku market as Benue State Executive Council, (EXCO), has ordered vacation of streets by hawkers or stand to lose their goods.

Exco also directed traders occupying mini  shops along Swange Cinema road at Wurukum Market to vacate them or risk demolition and destruction of their goods.

Mrs. Ngunan Adingi, Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, while briefing journalists after  Wednesday”s State Executive Council meeting, explained that the affected persons are to move to the Makurdi International Market where there are shops for occupation.

She further explained that council has also directed persons allotted shops at the Makurdi International Market to complete their payments within one month or risk revocation.

Mrs. Addingi said EXCO approved the constitution of a committee headed by Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN, to consider submissions of the last Benue Youth Summit for possible implementation.

The committee also has Commissioners of  Finance and Economic Planning, Industries and Cooperatives, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Information, Culture and Tourism, Youths and Sports, Science and Technology, Rural Development as well as Trade and Investment as members.

Director of EXCO is to serve as Secretary of the committee while Special Advisers for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Economic Planning as well as that of Project Monitoring and Evaluation and the Director General Planning Commission are also members.

Chairman, secretary and Subcommittee chairmen of the Youth Summit are to meet with the SSG-led committee at a later date to deliberate on the summit report.

Fielding  questions from journalists on update of COVID – 19,  the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism  explained that  over 4,000 persons have  been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far in the State.