The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has inaugurated a modern cattle market in Soro village, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The market, which is one of the largest in the region, is expected to boost commercial activities, enhance revenue generation, and improve the socio-economic wellbeing of the people.
Speaking during the project’s inauguration, Mohammed Alkali, Managing Director/CEO of NEDC, noted that the project aims to modernise livestock trade, and facilitate commercial activities.
“This new cattle market will enhance business operations in Soro and Bauchi State as it is one of the largest cattle markets in the area,” Alkali said.
He added that the market is designed to be a source of revenue and employment for the state’s residents.
He further noted that the old market had historically been a revenue source, but its former location had resulted in numerous fatalities, prompting the NEDC’s intervention. “Every citizen of the North-East subregion has a stake in this market,” he said.
Alkali urged the state government and the Soro community to protect the facility.
In his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by Yakubu Bello, the Permanent Secretary of the Bauchi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, noted that the market would create numerous employment opportunities for the youth. He pledged to ensure its effective utilisation.
He further commended the NEDC’s initiative, stating, “The government is seeking more projects of this nature in other Local Government Areas with large cattle markets in the state.”