An NGO, the Lagos League of Champions (LLC) on Saturday – today, March 8 – gave N50,000 each to over 500 petty traders in the Badagry area of Lagos State.
The money is to assist them in boosting their businesses, Akeem Adelabu, the LLC Coordinator in the State, said at the event where the grants were given out, adding that the objective of the programme is to give support to small scale businesses in the State.
Under the programme, which is sponsored by Mr. Seyi Tinubu, LLC had, on March 1, also visited Badagry to give free medical services to over 1,000 people, who were treated for various ailments, Adelabu further disclosed.
“Today, we are here again to support small scale business women to boost their businesses with N50,000 cash grant each,” he enthused.
“Apart from the grants, Seyi Tinubu, just like his generous father, President Bola Tinubu, has decided that we should have a mechanism to monitor activities of the recipients.
“He said that whosoever uses the grant judiciously would be given more grants in the next edition.”
On how the beneficiaries were selected, Adelabu said the LLC has three coordinators in Badagry, representing the three councils and they were in charge of the selection, using a template.
“The selection was free and fair; the coordinators went to markets in their councils and looked for petty traders such as pure-water, pepper and bread sellers among others.
“These are the set of women that came to receive the cash grants today,” he said.
Adelabu urged the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously to guarantee another opportunity in upcoming business grants.
Joel Hunpatin, LLC Badagry Local Government Area coordinator also explained that the grants targeted women who are petty traders at the grassroots.
“We were given a template to follow and told that it is not a politically motivated grant.
“So, we sent people to different markets to look for petty traders who needed assistance to boost their businesses.
“We don’t know some of the women here today, they need assistance and we called them here,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria NAN) reports that some of the beneficiaries praised the organisers of the grants for their generosity.
Mrs. Abidemi Oketunde, a bread seller, said someone came to buy N400 bread from her shop and collected her number.
“Surprisingly, the person called me this morning to come and collect money to improve my bread business.
“I borrowed N10,000 to start this business and use the little gain to feed my children; today, the grant from Seyi will change my life.
“I will use the money to buy more bread and return the money I borrowed from my friend, thank you Mr. Seyi Tinubu for remembering us in Badagry,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Adedoyin Balogun, a tomato seller, commended the NGO for extending their good works to petty traders in Badagry.
“I am a tomato seller, a basket of tomatoes is N44,000 and I used to buy half because I can’t afford a basket.
“On Thursday, a woman came to buy tomatoes and complained that I should be selling other peppers but I said I don’t have money.
“She collected my phone number and promised to assist me; I thought she wanted to introduce me to a microfinance bank.
“Today, they gave me N50,000. This will give me an opportunity to sell other stuff now, this is not about politics or tribe or who you know.”
