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 was 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 ambiance of a competitive investment galore in the state.
The people-oriented programme, by implication, will empower 1,200 (One Thousand, Two Hundred) 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.
Gov. Ugwuanyi while flagging off the scheme, noted that 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 our 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 governor stated that “winners of the lottery are expected to invest the money into their various businesses and help promote all round economic growth in the state”, and urged the beneficiaries to ensure that the objectives of the scheme are realized.
He recalled that his 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.
While thanking the traders and the people of Enugu State for the support and solidarity that they have continued to accord his administration since inception, Gov. Ugwuanyi 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.
As 100 traders who emerged winners of the maiden edition of the lottery happily went home with a sum of N50,000 each, the governor equally thanked the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, and his team, and the Enugu State Amalgamated Market Traders Association, for their contributions to the success of the scheme and expressed optimism that the programme will continue to be successful.
Reacting to the development, the traders of the state in an atmosphere of excitement praised the governor for his sound vision and kind thoughts for them. They described the governor as an unassuming leader, noting that it was the first time in the history of the state such a people-friendly scheme was launched.
In his remark, 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 in the state, noted 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”.
Hon. Ude also commended the governor for providing critical infrastructure in some major markets in the state, especially the road network in Ogbete Main Market, saying that the link his administration has built between the government and traders has strengthened and rekindled the people’s confidence in participatory democracy.
According to Ude, “Your Excellency, God raised you from your modest background in order that you might provide the required purposeful servant leadership for your people. It is not a surprise therefore, that people like you in history, who were raised from a lowly beginning have made quality impact in leadership as currently experienced in Enugu State”.
Also speaking, a trader in the state, Mr. Stan Aniagu, noted 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”.
His words: “Today, Gov. Ugwuanyi, as a man of integrity, has come here 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.
“Yesterday, 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. Today, it is our turn to benefit from his visionary and people-oriented leadership. So, what else can we say than to thank him and continue to support and pray for the success of his administration.”
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 of 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 therefore, the responsibility of the people to support this noble vision of the governor towards the progress of the traders and the socio-economic growth of the state.
Enugu State is in the hands of God!
Amoke writes from Enugu State.
