The wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has appealed to market women for compassion and not to exacerbate the sufferings of Nigerians due to the current economic crisis.
Oyebanji made the appeal on Thursday during a meeting with female market leaders (Iyalojas) from the 16 local government areas of the state in her office in Ado-Ekiti.
She said that Gov. Biodun Oyebanji was worried about the high cost of food and other essential items in markets in the state.
The governor’s wife therefore asked the market women to lower the prices of food and other goods that do not depend on foreign exchange to help the ordinary citizens who are struggling with the situation.
She also urged the market women to cooperate with the current administration in the state by implementing policies that would alleviate hunger and poverty in the state.
Oyebanji urged the market leaders to spread the message to all the traders in the state and encouraged them to find ways to reduce the burden on the people, in line with the government’s efforts to ease their hardship.
“My mothers, I beg you, you are the leaders in your markets; those goods that are not affected by the dollar, please reduce their prices.
“We should not use this situation to take advantage of our people.
“Let us go to our markets and talk to other market women. We have to find ways to ease the suffering of our people.
“This storm will pass, but the little we can do to make it easier, let us do it for our people to have some relief,” she said.
Oyebanji said her husband had recently introduced some palliative measures, including a N12 billion economic stimulus package and the payment of arrears in salaries and pensions.
Other are increasing funding for tertiary institutions, approval of N331 million for the purchase of food items for distribution in all the local government areas, the provision of free transportation for workers and students, and others.
She further said that her recent visit to the Irona Market in Ado-Ekiti, where she gave cash and food items to poor traders and elderly people, was part of the measures to cushion the effects of the economic downturn.
Oyebanji announced her plan to start a market outreach programme called “Aya Gomina N Be Oja Wo” (Governor’s Wife Visits Markets), where she would visit all the markets in the state, buy from local market women, and empower needy traders.
The Iyaloja General of Ekiti State, Chief Habibat Ogunjobi, who spoke earlier, said that market women in the state have always supported Gov. Oyebanji’s developmental programmes.
She assured that the market leaders would take the message to the traders in the local markets and ensure that they follow the government’s advice for the benefit of the masses.
The meeting was also attended by the Commissioner for Investment, Trade, and Industry, Mrs. Tayo Adeola; the Special Adviser on Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye; and the Director General, Office of Community Communications, Mrs. Mary Oso-Omotoso. (NAN)
