The Plateau State Government has commenced reconstruction of the Jos Main Market burnt down by a mysterious midnight fire in 2002.

Governor Simon Lalong had earlier promised to reconstruct the market through private-public partnership (PPP). The government had, therefore, thrown the market project to the public to bid.

Mr Ezekiel Gomos, Chairman of State Project Implementation Unit (IPU), said twelve companies bidded for the project following the government’s advertisement of the project.

Mr Gomos, who disclosed this in a meeting with representatives of the biding companies in cabinet office yesterday, said: “Government is fully determined to partner with private investors to re-build the market.

“The essence of the meeting is to assure the private investors who are ready to partner with government in the project of transparency in the selection process after the necessary evaluation of strength and capability of each of the biding companies.

“The reconstruction of the market is part of the industrialization policy thrust of the Gov Lalong led administration. But government alone cannot fund the multi-billion naira project unless it partners with willing investors.

“The market project mean a lot to government and this government will waste no time in getting the market back so as restore the lost glory of the state.”

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12 technical partners bid for reconstruction project of Jos Main Market