The Chairman of Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, Hon. Mudasiru Kamorudeen, has commissioned a 300-shop ultra-modern market in Akobo, Ibadan, as part of efforts to boost commercial activities and improve residents’ access to goods and services.
Kamorudeen said the project, which involved the transformation of a government property, was designed to bring commercial activities closer to residents while promoting economic growth within the local government area.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Tuesday, the chairman said the facility was equipped with modern amenities, including public toilets, warehouses, ample parking space and a mini fire station.
He explained that the market was conceived to address the shortage of shop spaces in Akobo while protecting the interests of traders who had operated at the former facility.
According to him, existing tenants were accommodated and offered the opportunity to retain their shops at affordable rates, with the majority successfully reclaiming their spaces.
Kamorudeen noted that the market’s strategic location would reduce the need for residents of Akobo and neighbouring communities to travel to major commercial centres such as Bodija, Gbagi and Aleshinloye to purchase goods.
He added that the facility would attract traders and investors from different parts of Ibadan, stimulate economic activities and create new business opportunities within Lagelu Local Government.
The chairman urged traders and other users to take proper care of the facility, stressing that its supporting infrastructure was designed to provide a safe, convenient and conducive trading environment for business owners and customers.
He said the council would continue to maximise the value of public assets through projects that directly improve the welfare of residents and address the developmental needs of the growing community.
