OVER 20,000 petty traders have benefitted from the TraderMoni initiative of the federal government in Eke-Awka Market in Awka and Ochanja Market in Onitsha Anambra State, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Osinbajo was in the state on Friday to flag-off the programme which is aimed at empowering petty traders across the country with a soft loan of N10,000 repayable within six months.

Speaking at the Palace of the Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe, Osinbajo said Muhammadu Buhari administration was committed to the welfare of the commonest man in the society hence many programmes being carried out by the administration are aimed at the lowest rung of the economic chain.

“Many of them are not given such facility or loan because nobody is sure that they will pay back or not. Only the Government can guarantee that kind of facility and it is the Bank of Industry (BOI) that actually administers the loan,” he said.

Osinbajo also commended the implementation of the free school feeding programme in Anambra State. “As a matter of fact, we visited a lady in Awka, one of the cooks, who happened to be the best cook of the programme in the community,” he said.

In his response, the Obi of Onitsha commended the federal government for the TradermMoni initiative but pleaded that the programme should be extended to rural women plying their trades in markets in the villages.

“Ochanja Market has become a kind of international market of sorts, but then we have our own local market women, who also need to benefit from these initiatives,” he said.

The Vice President also visited the site of the second Niger Bridge which is still under construction and reiterated the administration’s commitment to completing it before leaving the office.

“The Second Niger Bridge is among the five projects where money has actually been set aside under a Presidential funding initiative to ensure completion. So, we have no fears that it will be completed as promised and scheduled,” he said.

“We are all brothers regardless of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation. We want to make sure that even in terms of execution of projects, we are fair and just, which is the commitment that the president has made.

“The President is committed to ensuring that he brings this to fulfilment.”