Relief has come to market women and men in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State as the Office of the First Lady, in partnership with the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA) and Akwa Ibom Business Community (AIBC), distributed market tables, umbrellas and aprons to traders.
The intervention, held on Monday at the Oruk Anam Council Secretariat, is aimed at improving the conditions under which small-scale traders conduct their businesses and strengthening grassroots economic activities.
For the beneficiaries, the tables provide dedicated spaces for displaying their goods, while the umbrellas are expected to offer protection from harsh weather conditions during daily trading. The aprons also provide a uniform identity for participating traders.
The GIFA Coordinator, Pastor Ann Abraham, urged the beneficiaries to regard the items as business assets and ensure they are properly maintained. She encouraged them to use the facilities to improve their daily trading activities and grow their enterprises.
The Executive Chairman of Oruk Anam LGA, Rt. Hon. Elder Sunday Festus Akpan, welcomed the intervention, describing support for small business owners as important to economic activity at the grassroots. He said the council appreciated the partnership directed at empowering local traders.
The First Lady of Oruk Anam LGA also appealed to the beneficiaries to take good care of the materials and use them for the purpose for which they were provided, while the wife of the member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency similarly encouraged the traders to protect the facilities.
President General of the Akwa Ibom State Business Community, Hon. Lordwill Umani, said the partnership was part of efforts to support small businesses, which he described as an important component of economic activity across the state.
The event was attended by council officials, supervisors, ward representatives and GIFA volunteers, while beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the intervention before receiving the branded tables, umbrellas and aprons.
