By Abba Eku
Abuja
Women traders in the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTs) in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had commended the appointment of the immediate past governor of Rivers state, Barr Nyesom Wike, as the minister of the FCT and appealed to him to carry women along in the discharge of his lawful duties.
The association’s woman leader, Chief (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi, who doubled as the president of Takem Empowerment Initiatives (TEIs), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known for the empowerment of the widows, people in need, and the youths in the society, made the call in Abuja recently.
She also appealed to the new minister to encourage commerce and industry in the nation’s capital, as well as women traders by, among other things, providing more markets and shops at affordable rates to be allocated to those in the business of buying and selling in the FCT. She said it would make goods and services very close to the people and reduce prices.
Before being elected as the governor of Rivers state, Wike, who is one of the current ministerial nominees by President Ahmed Tinubu and was later appointed the FCT minister, was minister of state for education under the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
While urging the minister to replicate what he did in Rivers state as governor in Abuja, Ambassador Rachael Adewumi said that she has observed that if encouraged in the FCT, based on their contributions to the economy, the women would help in the successful realization of the FCT dream for all.
Informing that majority of the women traders operate on tables in streets and are doing wonderfully well. Dr. Rachael Adewumi noted that soft loans should be given to the women with minimal interest. She proposed that on the alternative, grants should be given to them.
She advised that more markets and shops be built in the nation’s capital and allocated a good percentage to the real traders, especially, the women traders who don’t have shops but rather operate on tables from streets of the FCT.
For the government’s aims and objectives to be achieved, there is the need for all hands to be on deck. Leadership and governance should be seen as collective responsibility, hence, the ability to achieve success, Adewumi said.
I appeal to the government to motivate this group of traders, who were able to succeed with the support they got from TEIs. The women’s group is a trusted NGO that has been associating with them and can reach them easily. With the way the women have been going, if encouraged, they would do more,” Adewumi observed.
Adewumi also said that Wike did well in his state by successfully delivering many projects. An excellent performance that earned him the nickname, ‘Mr Project.’ With the wonderful performance in that state, the indigenes and residents won’t be disappointed by him. So let him involve women in the administration of the FCTA under his watch, and encourage women traders,” she advised