As part of efforts to cushion effects of harsh economic realities that Nigerians are facing, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on December 17, launched a programme to support petty traders across the state. Surprisingly, three weeks after, leaders of markets across the state who spoke with The Guardian, said they had not been contacted to provide names of would-be beneficiaries.

Through the palliative, the governor pledged to provide N50,000 each to not less than 15,000 traders in the first phase of the scheme, which is expected to gulp about N750 million.

Providing details on the workability of the scheme, the governor said both local council and development areas chairmen would nominate 200 beneficiaries from community markets in their councils, while market leaders in each council and LCDAs are expected to submit additional 50 names to make up the list of 250 beneficiaries in each council and LCDAs, but cutting across small markets.

Sanwo-Olu said: “As part of the measures to cushion the effect of the current economic realities, we have come up with an intervention for all low-income market women and men struggling to sustain their micro and small businesses in this period. Today, we are launching Lagos Market Trader Money, which is a palliative measure to support traders in our local markets.

“The first 15,000 beneficiaries will be getting a support of N50,000 from the state government. Traders in big markets are excluded from this scheme,” the governor said.

The scheme, Sanwo-Olu said, would be extended to markets in military and police barracks, which are expected to provide 750 beneficiaries of the support grant.

While some residents include petty traders that are to benefit from the programme have applauded the initiative, some others feared it might not reach those who truly need the support, and should be the ultimate beneficiaries of the initiative. They argued it would be hijacked by politicians and party people.

In addition, while the governor announced that the initiative would be implemented immediately, however, the traders who spoke to The Guardian, including market leaders, said they have not been contacted to submit names of beneficiaries.

Speaking on the governor’s initiative, a petty trader, Bola Oni, said it is good that the state government thought of supporting traders with the money.

“When I heard about the N50,000 support for us, I was happy because for a person like me, it would go a long way to help me expand my business and make more profit. But how can someone like me get it, when anybody knows I exist. I am not within the market, I hawk.

“And I believe; it is people like us that actually need this support. Many people in the market, N50,000 will be insignificant to expanding their wares. So, the government should think about it properly, that is if the money has not been given out already,” Oni said.

Another trader, Bimbo Adesola, said politicians would hijack the scheme to settle party supporters who are not traders, who may not even start any business even after they get the money.

“It is a good thing that the government thought of supporting the people because the economy is really tough on the masses. I hope those that would benefit from the money will be people who need it and they will use it judiciously.

“Even if they are not traders at present, when they get the money, the government should ensure that when they get the money, it is used to set up a business no matter how small it is.”

She said government and those in charge of the programme should look beyond the formal markets as there are many petty traders in the neighbourhood and those who hawk that are not in the formal markets.

A hawker, who simply gave her name as Kemi, said that many of the petty traders would be happier, if government could stop those collecting all forms of levies from them.

She said that the daily levies they pay sometimes when put together cumulatively exceed what some traders pay as rent on their shops.

“Some of us, what should be our profit ends up being what we pay as levies reason some of us cannot expand and grow our business as we ought to.

“While it is not everybody can benefit from the N50,000, it would be beneficial to all petty traders if government stopped ‘these boys’ from harassing us to collect money. If you move from one location to another, you are made to pay multiple times.”

On her part, Iyaloja General, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Iyaloja Mile 12, Alhaja Iyabo Ahmed, commended the governor for wanting to help traders, maintaining it is a good development.

Speaking on whether she had been contacted to submit names of beneficiaries from her LCDAs, Ahmed said she only heard about the initiative, however, nobody has contacted her to submit names of would be beneficiaries.

She added that when she heard about the scheme, she had expected that the local council would reach out to her but not yet.

“I pray that the initiative does not end up like trader money of the federal government that was mismanaged,” Ahmed stated.

Also, Iya Oloja ECOWAS Market, Lagos Island, Madam Toke Shodipo-Dosunmu, said the initiative would be of help to some traders though not all traders need such kind of money, government providing enabling environment for traders to operate.

Shodipe-Dosunmu also said she has not been contacted to submit names of traders who would be supported with N50,000, saying, “we have not heard anything from government on the support.”

She added that the support of government would amount to nothing if the traders are not hardworking and manage their business well even if they get the government’s support because the N50,000 would not solve a lot of challenges.

When the Ministry of Agriculture was contacted on the update about the disbursement of the money and the number of beneficiaries that have been reached so far, the Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Adenike Sodipo said that the ministry has not started disbursement as it was still in the process.

On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, promised to get a feedback, but yet to as the time of going to press. (The Guardian)

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