The commissioner for Awerial County in Lakes State has cancelled the relocation of Mingkaman market, citing allegation of corruption in the process.
Philip Mawut Garang says the allotment and relocation committee issued out illegally land tokens for shops to people they know instead of arranging the relocation of the market.
“Initially, we agreed to relocate the main market the way their shops appear. The front rows were to be relocated first follow by second up to the last one row,” he told Mingkaman FM.
“This was agreed to avoid wrangling over new place but the committee members acted contrary to the orders. Any mess that comes as a result of negligence will be [blamed] on them and they must pay those they gave tokens.”
Some committee members reportedly offered land tokens to new traders, giving them the pieces of land adjacent to the main road – a move that angered the old shop owners. Each person is required to pay 70,000 SSP to own a plot for the shop.
This resulted to the dismissal of three members of the allotment committee, namely; Peter Majok Ajith, chairman; Ayor Charbek Deng, National Security Service officer; and Franco Mangar Maker, C.I.D officer.
Mawut did not disclose the number of new shops allotted places in the market but some traders claimed they are 35 – all of which licenses are expected to be revoked.
He urged the new traders who had paid members of the committee to take back whatever amount they offered.
Mingkaman 100 FM was unable to reach the dismissed committee members for comment on the accusations labelled against them as well as members of the public who were given tokens for shops.
The commissioner added that he was planning to relocate 290 shops in the old market. However, the new market place that was created between Humanitarian Hub and the old Mama Nyalueth Hotel is expected to accommodate close to 1000 shops.