The Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Comr. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, has announced that his administration successfully secured a N50 million matching fund from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to empower market traders in the local government. The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of a one-day Financial Literacy and Micro-Credit Management Skills program for traders in Warri South.
Comr. Agbateyiniro further revealed that his administration would add another N50 million to the fund, bringing the total to N100 million aimed at supporting market traders in Warri South. He encouraged traders to embrace the “Warri South Brand” by wearing the council-donated aprons and maintaining cleanliness in the markets.
In addition to the traders’ empowerment, the chairman disclosed that people living with disabilities and widows, who were previously receiving N10,000 monthly, will now receive N20,000 from next month, following the approval by the council’s executive committee.
Under the “Sheriff Cares Programme,” the chairman also announced that 1,000 students would receive N20,000 each, with funds already deposited at Wema Bank to facilitate the process.
Mrs. Misan Eke, the Warri South Council Supervisor for Human Capital Development, commended Comr. Agbateyiniro for ensuring the success of the loan scheme and expressed confidence that the financial training would significantly boost traders’ businesses.
Leaders of various market associations in Warri South, including Igbudu, Main Market, Pessu, Ogbe-Ijoh, Mciver, and Ugbuwangue, expressed their gratitude to the Agbateyiniro administration for its ongoing support and empowerment initiatives, with Mr. Stephen Amalili, Chairman of Market Men and Women, noting that traders had never experienced such favorable conditions in the area.
This initiative is seen as a crucial step in fostering business growth and improving the livelihoods of market traders and other vulnerable groups in Warri South Local Government Area.
