By Louis Amoke
Recently, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State was at the Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, to flag-off an empowerment scheme for the traders in the state, tagged “Enugu State Traders Empowerment Scheme”.
The scheme, one of the policy thrusts of the present administration, comes with a package of N60 million annually, with the state government releasing N5 million monthly to be won by 100 lucky winners at N50,000 each, through an open digital raffle draw. The scheme is carefully designed to empower the traders to grow their various businesses for the socio-economic development of the state.
It is also in keeping with the governor’s promise during his campaign to give the traders a sense of belonging as true heroes of democracy and create an ambience of a competitive investment galore in the state. The people-oriented programme, by implication, will empower 1,200 genuine traders of the state annually.
The venue of the draws, according to the governor, will be rotated among the three senatorial districts of the state while winners will be drawn from 37 selected markets spread across the state, proportional to the population of registered traders in each market.
According to Gov. Ugwuanyi, the gesture is yet another effort by the state government to boost economic activities in the state and improve the lot of the ordinary members of the society in line with the promise to deploy government resources and services to create fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen to make a living, create wealth and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment.
The winners of the lottery are expected to invest the money into their various businesses and help promote all round economic growth in the state. The beneficiaries are also expected to ensure that the objectives of the scheme are realized. It will be recalled that Ugwuanyi’s administration had organized a similar open lottery programme for civil servants in the state from grade levels 1-10 in which 100 units of one bedroom apartments at Elim Estate, Enugu, were won with his administration paying over 30 per cent equity contribution – a milestone achievement which saw 100 lucky civil servants become proud landlords in Enugu.
Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked the traders and the people of Enugu State for the support and solidarity that they have continued to accord his administration since inception and reassured them of his resolve to hold on tightly to his vision to entrench good governance and impact positively on their lives, despite the current economic crunch in the country.
Not less than 100 traders, who emerged winners of the maiden edition of the lottery, happily went home with a sum of N50,000 each. Ugwuanyi also commended Barr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, and members of the Enugu State Amalgamated Market Traders’ Association, for their contributions to the success of the scheme. He expressed optimism that the programme will continue to be successful.
Reacting to the development, the traders praised the governor for his sound vision and kind thoughts for them. They described the governor as an unassuming leader and noted that it was the first time in the history of the state such a people-friendly scheme was launched. In his remarks, the President-General of Enugu State Amalgamated Market Traders’ Association, Hon. Temple Ude, while applauding Gov. Ugwuanyi for his vision and commitment to the well-being of the traders observed that Enugu State now has a leader that not only provides enough food for his people but also creates programmes that develop the state and empower the traders.
Also speaking, a trader in the state, Mr. Stan Aniagu, pointed out that Gov. Ugwuanyi, through the scheme, has once again demonstrated his love and support for the traders, disclosing that the governor has on several occasions paid surprise and unscheduled visits to markets in the state to inspect and ascertain how traders are faring. He said that as a man of integrity, Gov. Ugwuanyi has come to fulfil the promise he made to us during his campaign in 2014, to empower traders in the state to grow their businesses.
This is just one of his numerous people-oriented programmes aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the people of the state, especially the ordinary citizens. Gov. Ugwuanyi through his grassroots development initiatives has been transforming the rural areas despite the economic recession in the country.
Some weeks ago, he remembered the civil servants of the state with a housing lottery programme where 100 lucky winners became proud landlords in Enugu. He still pays workers’ salaries regularly.
No doubt, with the successful commencement of the empowerment programme for the traders, and other remarkable achievements in all strata of the economy such as the site and services housing estates and opening up of satellite areas through the innovation of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC) led by its General Manager, Mr. Agu Chukwuemelie, there is light at the end of the tunnel, especially for the ordinary people of the state.
It is the responsibility of the people to support this noble vision for the progress of the traders in particular and the socio-economic growth of the state in general.
Amoke writes from Enugu State