Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, representing Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has empowered 5000 market men and women with N250m grants to boost their businesses.
The lawmaker stated that the fund would, in no small way, help the traders deal with some financial constraints.
He explained that it was important to contribute to the social, economic development of communities and the nation at large.
Adeola said the concept tagged, ” Oloja Yayi” is in consonance with the ‘Okowo Dapo’, the initiative of Governor Dapo Abiodun, in assisting market men and women.
“I noted the serious economic challenges of our market women and men in their trading activities, particularly in the area of cash flow to sustain and expand their businesses.
” While empowering the traders, I have noted that their only succour was Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s commendable programme tagged “Oko Owo Dapo” which provided our market women and men some finance,” he said.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations said that he facilitated the programme in conjunction with Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research with start up grant for the beneficiaries.
While explaining that the grant was a micro-financing to boost the businesses of market men and women, saying that it was not a loan but a grant to bring succour to a critical sector of the people.
” Beneficiaries are drawn from the five local government areas that constituted Ogun West senatorial district.
” In all, 5,000 market women and men are benefitting from financial grants to the tune of N50,000 each,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Yemisi Abass, the Iyaloja General, Ogun State, appreciated the lawmaker for the kind gesture, saying that it was the second year the market men and women would be benefiting from the grant.
” He has doubled what we received last year and he has continued to keep to his promises,” she said