The Kurudu / Gidian Mangoro Timber Dealers Association in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has elected 10 officers to manage its affairs till 2019.
Mr Ejike Asogwa, the new chairman of the association made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Asogwa, who listed Uche Eze, as his Vice Chairman and Onyema Romanus as General Secretary among others, said that he contested the chairmanship position to ensure unity and progress in the organisation.
According to him, the membership of the association cuts different parts of the country and there is the need for a capable person to manage its affairs.
He said his administration would meet the FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammed Bello, to ensure that the timber market is expanded to accommodate more traders.
The new chairman also promised to organise the members of the association into cooperative society in order to attract soft loans from banks and government authorities to assist them.
Asogwa disclosed that the Federal Government gave the association 10.5 hectares of land two years ago while the organisation had spent more than N30m to build two ultra modern shops.
He added that the association had also built two bridges which cost N12m in order to facilitate easy access for the traders to do business in their premises.
Asogwa explained that at present, the organisation was still constructing some roads in order to open its business to more customers.
He listed lack of electricity, pipe borne water, toilets, tarred roads, clinic, banking facility, fire service and police station, as some of the challenges facing the market.
He urged the FCTA and the Federal Government to assist the traders by providing these facilities as part of the enabling environment for them to do their business.
Asogwa assured members that before the end of his tenure, he would meet with the FCT minister to ensure that the traders get a more suitable place to expand their business.
He therefore called on his colleagues to give the new officials their maximum cooperation for them to deliver on all their promises.
