By Mike Adeyemi
No fewer than 850 traders that cut across the 16 local governments in Kwara state will benefit N100 million loans recently distributed by the state government to boost economic activities Pilot Business reliably gathered.
Speaking during an interview with the Kwara State Babaloja General, Alhaji Tunde Jimoh, on Saturday said ‘the state government has made provision of N100 Million revolving loans to traders across the 170 markets in the state.
He said.” we deliberated on how to share the loan among traders, therefore we decided to select five traders each in each of the various markets cutting across the 16 local governments in the state. We intend to start distributing the loan on monthly basis to the selected beneficiaries.
According to him, after this round whatever is left is left will also be shared among other sets of traders as the loans.
Jimoh, who lauded the magnanimity of the state government stressed that marketers will continue to support and play their parts by paying taxes in the state.
He did however urge the state government to increase the subsequent loan as Kwara state have over seven hundred and seventy markets and going by the loan, it may not be enough to cut across all the concern traders. He said, the Babaloja and Iyaloja steal was initiated and inaugurated by the Executive Governor of Kwara state, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed about three years ago to ensure that Kwara traders speak with one voice and for common goods which cumulated in economic buoyancy of the state.
Speaking in the same vein, the Iyaloja General of Kwara State, Hajia Adenike Abdulkareem Lambe also applauded the state government for this intervention.
Lambe said, “Kwara traders are on daily basis getting themselves acquitted with the knowledge and the imperative of tax payment as people have begin to see the dividend and benefits of paying taxes, but it is a gradual process”.
The Iyaloja further berated traders selling and hawking their products along the streets even as she added that state government will sanction anyone caught indulging in the act.
According to her, the Kwara state government had severally advocated enlightenment campaign through various mediums on the dangers associated with selling along the road sides. She however urged traders to comply with government directives so as to avoid its wrath.
She lamented the difficulties traders undergo amidst the economic meltdown and price increase in the Nigerian economy amidst the lingering fuel scarcity in the state as this has badly affected their sales. Lambe urged the Kwara State Government and the DPR in the state to curtail the excesses of some petrol stations in Ilorin metropolis that holds PMS at the detriment of the masses. She said “fuel scarcity in some neighboring states was not as bad as what is happening in Kwara State.
She attributed some of their achievements to cordial relationship among traders in the 16 local government areas in the state has its branch leaders. Lambe advised traders to always channel their grievances to the union’s office and stop taking laws into their hands.
