Enugu State government has disbursed N60 million to over 1,200 low class traders in various 35 registered markets to enable them increase their trade.
Disbursing some of the Cheques to lucky winners at Eke Ozzi Market in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu, the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said the money was not loan but a grant to the traders with the aim of ensuring that Enugu State is moved from core civil servant state to a business hub.
He said that it would be a continuous process having witnessed the good effect of the first phase on the traders and the impact it has created so far on economic development of state.
Sam Ogbu Nwobodo, commissioner for commerce and industry, whose ministry is driving the programme said the Eke Ozzi market draw was the 11th Raffle Draw of the Enugu State government traders’ empowerment scheme where 100 persons benefited.
Nwobodo said so far about 1200 traders had already benefited from the empowerment scheme in all the 35 recognised markets in the state and that the executive council had also approved the extension of the programme because of the favourable feedbacks from the people.
According to him, “more traders would be accommodated by next year because it was discovered that the programme was touching the real people and that it was a good opportunity for the government to come out and interface with the masses because market is the core of our social and economic life especially in Igbo land. So, by so doing the money we would have spent in organising rallies is now spent on the real people to increase their businesses.
“You should know that the state is not an oil state, we manage our resources responsibly to do a lot with little, part of which is what you are experiencing here today. We are also opening roads and creating good environment to attract more investors. We are more focused now at the rural areas, launching 37 infrastructure projects including road projects in all the 17 LGAs. Another phase is ongoing, both in health, schools, water electricity etc.”
Nwobodo further said: “What we have done is to encourage them, organise seminars and workshops for them but it is not within our powers to tell them what they should do with their money, so far because of the genuiness of the programme, they have listened to us and they are using it to empower themselves.”
Also the chairman of Igbo Eze North Local government Uwakwe Ezeja, expressed joy that such governor’s initiative to empower small scale traders in Enugu State is taking place in his local government.
He described the governor as a very humane person who is always looking at what to do to assist the down-trodden and poor in the society, pointing out that such a programme had never happened in the history of Enugu State.
Regis Anukwuoji, Enugu
