Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
Six months after approaching the Kebbi State Government for soft loan, the leadership of the Fish Traders Association in the state, has cried out over it their members’ inability to access the loan.
Immediate past Chairman of the association in the state, Alhaji Kane Maikifi Zauro, disclosed the plight of their members while addressing newsmen, on Saturday.
Zauro noted that “Over six months ago, the association’s leadership approached the Kebbi State Government to offer business loan to the us to enable our members boost their fish selling business in the state, but until now, there is nothing.
“The state Governor directed the association leadership to come through the Gwandu Emirates council to enable us get access to the state government loan.
“We did all the due process to enable the association get the loan. But up to this moment i am speaking with you, there is no feedback from the government, everything is silent,” he said.
Zauro recalled that their colleagues in the Birnin-Kebbi market especially Butchers Association have benefitted soft loan from the same government.
According to him,” The Kebbi State Government always expressed it redness to boost fishing and small scale businesses in the state. Yet, to access loan becomes difficult.
“We should not just forget too that Governor Bagudu’s government had expressed its intention to build international fish market in Yauri to enable state government to collaborate with other states in boosting fish trading in the country. How can this be possible if we were not given soft loan to increase our stocks,” he asked.
He appealed to the state government to assist the association to have access to soft loan stressed that “if other sister’s associations in Birnin-Kebbi market could benefited, ours should not be exception.”