Sanwo-Olu to launch Trader Money

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will on Wednesday launch the N50, 000 cash transfer to 15,000 beneficiaries under the Lagos Market TraderMoney initiative.

Commissioner for Agriculture Ms. Abisola Olusanya said this at the weekend during a one-day sensitisation for traders at the Lagos Fresh Food Agro-Hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin.

Over 500 market men and women from Ikeja and Oshodi Local Government Areas attended the sensitisation on market hygiene, food safety, cleanliness, storage, marketing and transportation.

She said: “We are dealing with two local governments. Last week, we had over 500 of them here from Mushin. The idea is as we have the hub, and it becomes operational, we must sensitise and train traders to understand that this is the new direction for a 21st century Lagos of our dreams.

“It is for them to understand that this is how it should be; they need to unlearn and relearn trading and the act of selling, merchandising, hygiene and more. It is also an avenue for government to also have a one-to-one, personalised interaction with the traders to be able to address their needs, local government by local government and community by community.

“We know the informal sector makes up 60 per cent of our population, and so this is a wonderful avenue for the government to ensure inclusivity for everybody, especially for them.

“That is why we are here today talking to our traders on hygiene, food safety, preservation storage, marketing, transportation. We are also discussing welfare packages that the government has for them.

“By Wednesday, which is Valentine’s Day, Mr. Governor will be showing love to our traders in Lagos. He promised them N50, 000 each for 15,000 beneficiaries.”

On how to address food insecurity in the country, Ms. Olusanya called for partnership among food producing states.

The commissioner said partnership remained the only sure way to address the growing menace.