No fewer than 23,834 small scale traders in Enugu State have benefitted from the Trader Moni scheme of the Federal Government, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said.
Osinbajo disclosed this on Friday in Enugu during the disbursement of the Trader Moni to beneficiaries of the scheme in the state.
The vice president said the scheme was so dear to government, adding that more money would be given out through the scheme.
He said about 60 per cent of the beneficiaries were women.
“Trader Moni is very important to us. This is because if small businesses prosper, the nation will prosper,” he said.
Osinbajo said FG was also providing shared facilities to business groups as a way of encouraging economic growth.
“What this means is that if a group of people are in one business venture, the Federal Government can provide them with some facilities to share,” he said.
He said that apart from the empowerment scheme, FG had also assisted about 4,577 traders under the Market Money Scheme.
He said beneficiaries were drawn from market associations in the states.
“Enugu state is one of the bests in terms of small businesses. We have received a great support from here and our collective effort is to ensure that traders benefit from the programmes of the government,” he said.
Osinbajo said it was the desire of the federal government for traders to do their businesses with some degree of comfort.
Earlier, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi commended the federal government for its efforts in empowering traders across the country.
Ugwuanyi said the various empowerment schemes of the government would help to curb crime and insecurity.
One of the beneficiaries of the scheme, Mrs Maria Nnamani, thanked the federal government for the kind gesture.
Nnamani requested the federal government to stop importation of frozen foods so as to help their ventures.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that traders at the Old Artisan Market and Abakpa Market benefitted from the exercise.
