-By Ifeanyi OLANNYE:
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited Warri and Asaba on Friday to inaugurate the TraderMoni programme as well as felicitate and enlighten traders on the government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
Osinbajo who was heralded into the cities with warm reception by traders, interacted with the beneficiaries in major markets.
At the Ogbeogonogo Market, Asaba, some petty traders lauded the Federal Government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) popularly called “Trader Moni”.
The traders who spoke in a separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), promised to judiciously use the money to improve their businesses and pay back early enough to attract more.
Mrs Chinwe Ayasi, a petty trader, said her life would have been better off than what it was, If past governments had come up with this kind of programme.
“I sell vegetable, tomato, and other food items in small quantities to keep my family going and government came to register us and after that my account was credited with N10, 000.
“God will bless the Federal Government. If this is how other past governments have been doing, our life would have been far better.
“I will use the money to expand my business. They even advised us to pay certain amount weekly to enable us to pay back in six months.
“They also said that if we pay back on time, we can get more money to expand our business more.
‘’So, my plan is to work hard and pay back in three instalments, to enable me access another one,” She said.
Another trader, Mrs Christiana Onyenbu, who sells palm oil and other food items on makeshift table at the market, said shortly after registration, N10, 000 was credited into her account.
She noted that it was a soft loan by the Federal Government through its empowerment programme and that all beneficiaries must pay back.
“I feel excited and I know it is a loan, that whoever accesses it must pay back in six months with N250 interest.
Also, Miss Favour Emmanuel, who sells melon in a wheelbarrow, also commended the Federal Government for the loan.
“They came and told us that the money is to support our business and on Friday, they came back and requested for our account number and they deposited N10, 000 into our accounts.
“I am very happy and I say God will continue to bless Nigeria,” she said.
Osinbajo, had earlier inaugurated the Programme in Warri.
Many beneficiaries and supporters scrambled to take selfie with Osinbajo in Warri.
(NAN)
