The All Progressives Congress in Sokoto has called on the state government to reconsider its decision on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the reconstruction and management of the Sokoto Central Market.

The party said it was shocked the government plans to surrender the reconstruction and management of the market to financial interests outside the state.

The APC chairman in the state, Sadiq Achida, at a news conference on Saturday said, “By so doing, our business community will be open to undue financial exploitation. The action will be most unkind.

“Doing so implies that this is the only administration in the history of Sokoto that has failed in its duty of providing a conducive business environment.

“Instead, it has decided to surrender them to private financial institutions whose sole interest is profit maximisation,” he said.

Mr Achida accused the government of making the decision about the same time the federal government paid the state N18.2 billion as budget support.

The chairman said, “Therefore, as patriotic citizens of Sokoto, who have the interest of our people at heart, we call on the government to reconsider its decision and borrow a leaf from its predecessors.

“These are people who have left a legacy of a conducive environment for commerce and industry in Sokoto State,” he noted.

(NAN)