Micro Small and Medium Enterprises’ (MSMEs) operators in Taurani Market, Kano State, have lauded the Federal Government financial inclusion and the introduction of town hall meeting aimed at boosting profitability at the grassroots.
Sulaiman Musa Jido, chairman, Taruani Market Traders, while speaking at the inaugural TraderMoni town hall meeting in Kano, said it was a welcome development and pledged his support in cooperating with the officials to ensure the process was transparent.
Jido commended the Office of the Vice President for bringing the TraderMoni officials to ensure that the real Taruani Market traders collected the money.
“I will encourage my people at Taruani Market to quickly pay back the TraderMoni loan so they can receive additional money to keep growing their business. We really appreciate this effort by the government,” he said.
Uzoma Nwagba, chief operating officer, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), while speaking at the town hall meeting said these meetings would provide an avenue for the beneficiaries to engage directly with the different stakeholders such as officials from the implementation partner, Bank of Industry; financial institutions and partner organisations from the private sector.
Beneficiaries will also benefit from business advisory services to guide them in the utilisation of the funds for their businesses.
Nwagba said the process of receiving cash out of the TraderMoni loans had been simplified and become more transparent through the printing of lists of approved applicants, which is vetted by the market leaders.
Ahmed Isma’eel, senior special assistant to the President on Social Investment Programmes on his part, said the market leaders had been empowered to take ownership of the programme and ensure that the process ran smoothly.
“The names of TraderMoni beneficiaries approved for cash out are displayed openly in the market. So, no longer will hardworking traders fall prey to unscrupulous and fake agents,” Isma’eel said.
Fatima Aliyu, a tailor based at Yankabba Market who attended the second TraderMoni town hall meeting, which was held at Yankabba Junior Secondary School, confirmed that she received the alert on her phone about the TraderMoni loan and promised to use the funds to buy more materials to produce more handmade bags.
