Oyo State government has announced that it has registered more market and traders associations from eight to twelve in numbers, in order for the groups to access government supports in terms of loan and other inputs.
The Commissioner for Trade Investment and Cooperatives, Hon Adeniyi Adebisi stated this while speaking on a radio program on Lagelu FM in Ibadan on Thursday.
He said the State government is leaving no stone unturned in making life more comfortable for traders through the provision of infrastructure and secured environment for their businesses.
Adebisi added that the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration has met the requests of traders in the scout camp neighborhood business complex before issuing the 7-days ultimatum for street traders to vacate the road side, stressing that government would enforce the law against street trading to guide against loss of lives and valuable properties to accidents.
The Commissioner said the State Government was always ready to give out loans to traders and market association but decried the issue of non repayment of loan by beneficiaries, hence the strict processes attached to loan disbursement by the agencies concerned.
“Whenever government provide loan support to traders associations, it is with the hindsight that the repayment schedule will aid the possibility of accommodating others to also benefit, but many people do not want to pay back because it is State government loan.
“We have increased the number of traders and market associations from eight to twelve in Oyo State so that the opportunities for their members to access financial support among other impetus for business development would be made available and ease for them.”
He maintained that the requirements for any association to be registered is that it must have at least 3 clusters under it and all other related society or group can then join the umbrella association.
He said the Ministry is working in collaboration with the Special Adviser to the governor on Arewa Matters to foster unity and peace among the Hausa okada riders that are operating in the Scout Camp Neighborhood Business Complex and the other traders stressing the need for all tribes to cohabit peacefully in the State.