Yobe Residents Laud Gov. Buni Over Modern Market Projects
By Ahmed Isah
Residents of Yunusari and Machina Local Government Areas of Yobe have commended Gov. Mai Mala Buni for constructing modern markets, describing the projects as catalysts for economic recovery and growth.
The residents spoke in separate interviews on Monday during a media tour of ongoing and completed projects executed by the Yobe State Government across the 17 local government areas.
They said the modern markets were already restoring confidence among traders, farmers and artisans by providing safe, organised and accessible spaces for commercial activities.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, said the markets were part of deliberate efforts to rebuild livelihoods disrupted by years of insurgency.
Bego said the destruction of local economies during the insurgency period had necessitated targeted investments to revive farming, trading and related businesses.
He explained that the construction of markets was aimed at creating conducive environments where residents could safely transact business and reconnect agricultural production with commerce.
According to him, Machina is one of the most historic and commercially strategic towns in the state, serving as a border community with strong trading links to other parts of the country.
He noted that providing modern market infrastructure in such locations would enhance cross-border trade, stimulate local enterprise and improve household incomes.
Bego added that the Machina modern market, which commenced in August 2025, had recorded remarkable progress within a few months, underscoring the administration’s commitment to inclusive development.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmad Buba Abbakyari, said the Machina project was part of the state’s modern market programme.
Abbakyari said the Machina modern market comprises 96 lock-up shops, 146 open stalls, 46 stores and warehouses, as well as an administrative block.
He added that the facility also includes a police post, fire service unit and banking hall to guarantee safety, orderliness and financial access for traders.
A trader in Machina, Malam Usman Saleh, said the market would reduce post-harvest losses by providing farmers with direct access to buyers.
Saleh said rice, grains and livestock traders would benefit significantly from improved storage and organised trading spaces.
Similarly, a Yunusari-based trader, Hajiya Aisha Lawan, said the modern market had boosted women’s participation in trade by offering secure and hygienic environments.
Lawan said the project would create jobs, attract investors and increase internally generated revenue for the state.
The residents agreed that the markets would strengthen food supply chains, promote peace through economic engagement and accelerate the overall socioeconomic development of their communities.
