NO fewer than 20,000 market women and men in Edo are to benefit from the ongoing “Trader-Moni” loans being disbursed to traders across the country by the Federal Government.

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo disclosed this in Benin on Wednesday at a Christmas and end-of-the-year get together organised by the Edo Market Women Association (EMWA).

Obaseki said information about the traders to benefit from the initiative was currently being put together ahead of the disbursement by Jan, 2019.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the planned disbursement marks the first phase of “trader-moni” scheme in Edo.

The initiative is under the federal government’s Social Investment Programme which is coordinated by the office of the Vice-President.

Obaseki commended the market women in the state for providing a backbone support to his administration.

“You have been our support and without you we would not have succeeded especially in the development of an electronic tax collection system,” he said.

He said funds through the State Sustainable Development Goals office had been approved for the construction of boreholes and toilet facilities in all markets in the state before the end of 2019.

“We are beginning with 18 markets in Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Egor Local Government councils as first phase from January 2019.

Earlier, the President of the Edo Market Women Association, Mrs Blacky Ehi-Ogianien, said market women had fared well under Obaseki’s administration.

Ehi Ogianien said the administration had introduced various policy initiatives which had ensured ease of doing businesses.

She commended the governor for the ongoing reforms in all sectors of the state’s economy especially in road infrastructure, sports, education and health care.

The market women leader appealed to the governor to consider members during appointment into various boards of agencies in the state.

-NAN

BE

– Dec. 12, 2018 @ 16:55 GMT |