By Anthony Ojo.
Lucky winners have emerged in the raffle draw for the allocation of shops to intending beneficiaries at the new Ado-Ekiti Central Market.
The raffle draw exercise was part of the processes of allocating the shops to the beneficiaries.
The number of those who indicated interest in acquiring the shops were more than the number of available shops, hence the need to employ raffle system to select the beneficiaries.
The winners were given a certain period of time to pay for the shops, failure of which will lead to the forfeiture of the facilities to another interested persons.
In his opening speech, the Attorney General of Ekiti State and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olawale Fopohunda said the use of balloting system was to ensure transparency in the process.
Mr. Fapohunda who was the Chairman at the forum noted that the shops were subsidized to ensure that it was affordable for the people.
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Trade and Industry Aare Muyiwa Olumilua explained that government decided to give the market to a private company in order to ensure adequate maintenance.
The General Manager, Ado-Ekiti Ekiti Central market, Mr. Olumide james promised that the market would be managed in a way that it would be conducive for the users and become a centre of attraction to people.
Some of the winners including Mr. Babatunde Ajetomobi, Mr. Apanisile Samuel and Mrs. Adeola Ogundipe commended Ekiti state government for its transparency in the process.
Some of the shops include open stalls which is leased at the rate of twenty one thousand naira per annum, twenty five square metres lock up-shops at the rate of one million, eight hundred and seventy five thousand naira for fifteen years and nine square metres lock-up shop at the rate of six hundred and seventy five thousand naira, also for fifteen years among others.