By Kingsley Chukwuka
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has frowned at a memorandum of understanding (MOU), between the Plateau State Government and Jaiz bank on the remodeling of the burnt Jos Main Market.
The Plateau State chapter of CAN said the MOU if signed is aimed at enslaving the State for a period of forty years as Jaiz Bank will control 60 per cent of the market when completed.
Youth Wing of CAN (YOWICAN), speaking with journalists on Saturday in Jos, 30th July, 2022, urged the State Government to suspend the planned signed MOU bid to take place on Monday August 1, 2022, and embark on a more elaborate consultation with stakeholders in the State.
The State Chairman YOWICAN, Mr. Markus Kanda warned that if a wider consultation is not considered, then it clearly means that the State Government has accepted the plot of Jaiz bank to mortgage the destiny of Plateau Children yet unborn.
“Governor Lalong should have first of all embarked on a wider consultation and mobilization to engage the people at community levels with the view to sensitize them and seek their consent before embarking on the project”, Kanda said.
YOWICAN also noted that the terms and condition of the engagement has been unknown until the revelation that made its way on the social media which has generated the most heated criticism and condemnation.
Kanda argued that the bank is an Islamic bank and the happening around the world and in Nigeria with particular reference to Plateau State suggests that every reasonable man will seek to require some explanation to assuage the fears that engaging the Jaiz to grant loan to the State Government should require more than information circulating on the social media.
Our correspondent reports that the said loan about to be tied in a memorandum is to the tune of N10 billion in which Jaiz bank will control 60 per cent of the revenue generated for forty years in order to recover the money invested.