By Chris Udochukwu
ABEOKUTA – The Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Adeola Olamilekan Yayi has reiterated that his mega empowerment programme for market women and men in the senatorial district was in support for Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s O’kowo Dapo poverty alleviation programme in the state.
Senator Yayi while disbursing financial grants for his 2nd empowerment scheme for market men and women in Ogun West at the Asade Agunloye pavilion in Ilaro on Sunday noted that, the micro financing scheme was to boost the businesses of market men and women in the senatorial district.
He emphasized that, the motive was to further impact directly on critical sectors of the society to cushion the effects of the downturn of the economy on the downtrodden.
Senator Yayi who had earlier on Saturday donated the sum of N200million as scholarship and bursary awards for 1,600 students in Ogun West maintained that, the micro scheme financing would cushion the effect of inflation trend that hovers around 29% on most of the goods and services the market men and women trades on.
According to him, beneficiaries of the micro financing scheme were drawn from the 5 Local Government Areas of Ogun West Senatorial District namely, Ado Odo Ota, Yewa South, Yewa North, Ipokia and Imeko Afon with the 5,000 traders benefiting from financial grant to the tune of N50,000 each.
He added the financial scheme was in conjunction with Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), with Start Up Grants for agro-manpower, artisanal manpower and cage culture carp specie restocking for market women and men.
He said, “Last year, precisely on February 6, 2023, during the campaign for the office of the senator of Ogun West, I gathered women and men in our various markets to empathize with their situation in the face of economic downturn at the time. At that event for the empowerment of market women and men, 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 then, I had noted that their only succor was the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun’s commendable programme tagged “Oko Owo Dapo” which provided our market women and men some finance in trying times as well as the then Trader Monie from the Federal Government.
“Without those programmes and my facilitated empowerment for 5000 market women and men with the sum of N25,000 each, our market women and men would have been left without any support from the government or at the mercy of loan sharks that put them in debt bondage for pittance.
“The concept of “Oloja Yayi” signifies my regular facilitated support fund for market women and men have come to stay in Ogun West Senatorial district. In face of the inflationary trend that hovers around 29% on most of the good and services that our market men and women trades on, it is my view that they should be supported to continue to drive their economic activities.
“This is a micro financing scheme to boost the businesses of our market men and women. It is not a loan but a grant to bring succor to a critical sector of our people.
“My vision here is to further impact directly on critical sectors of the society in ways to cushion the effects of the downturn of the economy on vulnerable persons. In the less than one year of becoming your senator, I am also facilitating infrastructural development targeted at our market women and men to further boost their commercial activities.”
He used the occasion to highlight of the projects embarked upon to include, 2 Lockup (40 units) and 3 Open Shop(60units) at Lusada, Ado-Odo/Ota LGA, 2 Lockup (40Units) and 3 Open Shop (60 Units) at Agosasa, Ipokia LGA, 2 Lockup (40 Units) and 3 Open Shop (60 Units) at Ijoun, Yewa North LGA, 2 Lockup (40 Units) and 3 Open Shop (60 Units) at Igbo Aje Market Ilaro, Yewa South LGA.
He stresses that, he had facilitated the construction and installation of 10 Solar Powered Bore Holes in the following Markets: Ilaro Market, Owode Market, Ayetoro Market, Oja Odan Market, Ipokia Market, Tube Market, Imeko Market, Owode Market, Oba Titi Dada(Ota) Market and Lusada Market at the rate of one boreholes in two markets per LGAs in the senatorial district.
“Going forward, I am further facilitating the construction of the 2 Lockup (40Units) and 3 Open Shop (60 Units) at following 5 Markets namely, Sayedero Market, Ilaro, Yewa South LGA, Farmer’s Market, Ilobi, Yewa South LGA, Obada Market, Imeko Afon LGA, Ilara Market, Imeko Afon LGA and TT Dada Market, Ota, Ado-Odo /Ota LGA.
“Also, in the next few weeks, work will commence on my facilitation of solar power street lights in the following markets with each market getting at least 20 poles namely, TT Dada Market, Lusada Market, Atan Market, Owode Market, Tube Market, Koko Market, Sayedero Market, Oja Odan Market, Ijoun Market, Ayetoro Market, Imeko Market, Ilara Market, Iwoye Market, Obada Market, Owode Market, Sabo Owode Market, Ijoko Ota Market, Agosasa Market, Ado-Odo Market and Igbo Aje Market Ilaro.
“Beyond empowerment of market men and women and markets development, I have also facilitated empowerment in other sectors with many infrastructural developments, details of which will be unveiled at the First Town Hall Meeting and Mega Empowerment Programme for the Senatorial District slated tomorrow at Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. Only yesterday, I gave scholarship and bursary awards to over 1500 students of tertiary institutions in the range of N150,000 to N200, 000 each. Among projects to be unveiled tomorrow as fully completed or nearing completion at 95% are 19 Road/ Drainage/ Culverts Construction, Construction of Thirteen(13Nos) Block of 12 Classroom with Staff Room, Library and Solarized Boreholes, (4Nos) of Primary Health Care Centers(PHCs) and (2Nos) of Intensive Care Units, ICU, (3Nos) of Information and Communication Technology ICT Centers, (3Nos) of Police Stations and Construction of (6Nos) of Community/Town Halls.”
