Magnus Eze, Enugu
No fewer than 50,000 petty traders in Enugu State will benefit from the Federal Government’s empowerment scheme, ‘Trader moni’.
The scheme, rolled out on September 6, 2018 in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), gives traders especially market women and artisans, between N10,000 and N100,000 interest and collateral-free loans, expected to be paid back within six months.
Project Supervisor of GDM Group of Companies; the firm powering the project nationwide, Mr. Bakare Adebowale, told reporters in Enugu recently, during the registration of traders at Abakpa Market that government was desirous of reducing poverty in the country.
He stated that the scheme targeted the lowest category of petty traders, including groundnut, corn, yam, plantain, meat sellers and cart-pushers among others.
This is the first time the Federal Government is involving the very bottom of Nigeria’s economic pyramid for direct financial stimulus aimed at creating wealth within the informal sector of the economy.
Daily Sun gathered that the social intervention programme driven by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been launched in over 30 states of the Federation. Recently, a group of women from several communities in Enugu West senatorial district of Enugu state resolved to seek avenues of empowering their fellow women especially those in the rural areas of their constituency.
They also vowed to be sensitive and play active roles in all aspects of economic and socio-political developments in the zone.
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The women, during the inauguration of the group, ‘Nnebuife United Association, Enugu West zone’ at the premises of Urban Secondary School Awgu, Enugu state, disclosed that they will among other approaches ensure
that the women of the zone keyed into the ‘Trader Moni’ scheme. Chair lady of the group, Lolo Queen Nwankwo in her maiden address lamented the poverty level among rural women in the zone even as they strive assiduously in various endeavours like farming and petty trading; they achieve less due to poor financing and other social hazards.
Therefore, Nnebuife as a mother care association henceforth will reach out to the larger society and various arms of government on how to better the lots of the rural women of the zone.
Mrs Nwankwo explained that they will also be mobilizing and sensitizing both women and youths of the senatorial zone to gain from the federal government’s free medical aid and how they will benefit from it.
Highlighting other mission statement of the association; Mrs Nwankwo said: “To mobilize and galvanize the women, sons and daughters of Enugu West district to support credible candidates for good governance of the zone; to build bridge across various political parties, societies and organisations for the collective interest of our zone.”