State of the heart of Jos

IT was a sunny day, when we had to rush to town to do some things for the pleasure of our household. We were disappointed when we got to the shop and what we were assured of getting was not exactly what we thought it was. So we had to go right into the market to look for it.

Guess what we saw! Congestion, traffic hold-up, pushing here and there because of Easter celebration preparations. We were shocked, disappointed and disturbed that Terminus Market had degenerated to such a level. 

At the heart of the market, there were heaps of refuse dumped here and there right in the center of the road. This also affected human and vehicular traffic. And because the middle of the road is narrow, the refuse found its way unto the road. As to be expected, flies swarmed around the dumps but that did not stop sellers of second hand clothes from displaying their wares everywhere there was space. 

As if we were the only ones that were seeing the filth, interested buyers flocked all around them not minding the stench or their surrounding.

What has happened to the city acclaimed as the ‘home of peace and tourism’?  The whole scenery was an eyesore. Noise, environmental pollution became normal things. And chaos became the order of the day. 

Is it any wonder that cholera, Lassa fever, food poisoning, dysentery are recurrent diseases no matter what is done? Every year we lose our young population in their formative years due to threats posed by these diseases. If we are to make a head way, we need a change of attitude. 

It beats our imagination to see that most people are moving about around the market without their face masks and especially the areas where  second-hand clothes were displayed. It is common knowledge that chemicals are mostly used for preservation. Very few people were spotted wearing face masks. 

It is quite unfortunate that a lot of people especially around the market do not believe that disease can be contacted in the air due to congestion and too many movements of both vehicular and pedestrians interactions. The experience that people went through during the outbreak of Corona virus would have taught them lessons of adhering to the  safety protocols because it is not yet uhuru. 

Just take a walk to Terminus and Ahmadu Bello Way, and observe the situation around town, pause a while and look round, one will see how traders have displaced the vehicular movements of motorists with their goods. Many people are struggling to get space to display their items for customers to buy thereby inconveniencing pedestrians and commuters alike from proper movements. 

A look at the situation at Terminus Market and Ahmadu Bello Way, and you will agree with me that Plateau State Revenue Service is not doing its work of collection of revenue very well. If it were, the nerve centre of Jos would have been decongested due to the heavy tax charged any one that illegally takes up a space in the heart of town. And the coffers of government would have been enriched. 

A shop owner who is popularly known as Iya Yusuf lamented over the congestion of the market by illegal traders. She said their habit of blocking shops with their mobile shop does not only take up space where motorists park, but that it enables them to do brisk business at the expense of shop owners. People who are in a hurry patronise them because sometimes their goods could be cheaper since they don’t pay rent.

However, Iya Yusuf warned that they should beware of fake items because some of these mobile traders sell fake items and unfortunately, one cannot come back and meet them at the same place as is the case with shops. 

In the words of one of the mobile shop owners: “Do you think we just force ourselves to the market and boldly take up space without paying our dues?” 

The young man claimed that they pay a token everyday, that is why they feel a sense of belonging and parade their goods without fear. Another mobile shop owner corroborated his colleague’s story but like his colleague, he refused his name to be mentioned. 

The ball is now in Plateau State Government’s Court to bring sanity to the system. Plateau must reclaim its lost glory. And the time is now!