Date: 2018-03-29

Traders in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State have accessed 20 per cent of the N100m loan from the state government, Pilot Business has learnt. The Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed led administration in its bid to empower traders in the state, released the sum of N100m as loans for them, This was revealed by the Babaloja General of Ilorin West Market Association, Alhaji Moshood Alaya during an interview with this medium in his office on Wednesday. He added that the loan attract an interest rate of 9 per cent and a period of one year.

Alaya, however, appealed to the state government to increase the credit facilities, saying that the local government has a sizeable number of traders. "One market in Ilorin West Local Government is larger and has more traders than three markets put together in another local government in the state," he asserted.

The market leader also urged the state government to make subsequent loans to be interest free for the convenience of repayment by beneficiaries. On amenities, he lauded the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki for facilitating an ultra-modern hospital at the Ita-Amo market, which he said is the only benefit market traders in Ilorin West could boast of as dividend of the current administration.

"We have written a proposal to the Chairperson of Ilorin West Local Government over lack of facilities in most of our markets, but our letters are yet to be acknowledged, he complained.

According to Alaya, the leadership of the previous council ensured welfare of traders through provision of incentives to markets in the area, on monthly basis.