FCT Traders Urge Wike to Provide Alternatives, before Removing Shanties

Paschal Emeka, Abuja | Posted September 6, 2023

In order to continue to fend for their families, the Women Leader, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTs), Chief (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi
has pleaded with the minister of FCT, Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to provide alternatives for the women traders and others before removing shanties and other illegal structures in the markets, streets, and other places where women and others have been doing business buying and selling in the FCT.

Amb (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi made the appeal to the minister in a telephone chat with our correspondent and other journalists, in Abuja.

Recall that the minister has recently disclosed his plans to restore the original masterplan of the FCT, which if implemented would affect those making a living in undesignated areas in the markets, among others in Abuja.

Sending her messages across, the woman leader begged the minister, as a matter of importance, to ensure that there be alternatives for the women and traders in areas that were not designated for such in the markets, and streets, among other areas within the FCT.

Still begging the minister to as a matter of necessity, go into the action with consideration, Amb (Mrs) Adewumi disclosed that as the leader of the FCT women traders and the president of a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), the TAKEM Empowerment Initiatives (TEIs), that has over the years been training and empowering widows and some women, among others, she had discovered that the women who had been doing businesses in the undesignated areas within and outside the markets had been performing wonderfully well, by assisting their husbands to fend for the family, just as she added that widows among them have equally been doing marvelously well from such places, by using the proceeds therefrom to fend for their families. Dr. (Mrs) Adewumi observed that if given a permanent place and encouraged, such serious women, according to her would do better than what they have been doing.

Still advising the minister to use his good office to ensure that such women and other traders of that category are not discouraged while performing his lawful duties, Amb (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi, therefore, suggested the involvement of the women in the planning, building, and sharing of any market marked out for that purpose. In her reason, she pointed out that involvement of the stakeholders, or even, those NGOs that have been empowering them, in the planning, building, and sharing of any market marked out for that purpose, wouldn’t only reduce to the barest minimum, things like doing businesses in undesignated areas within and outside markets in the FCT, but also ensure that the right people get the allocations.

She said: “We hail the newly appointed minister, (AKA, Mr. Project, based on his performance in Rivers as governor), for trying to return the FCT to its master plan, but due to their enormous contributions to the economy, we the women traders humbly cry to him to ensure that there be alternatives for the women and others that are doing businesses in undesignated areas in the markets, streets, among others.

“I have made time to investigate them and found out that the majority of these category of women we empowered in our NGO are doing wonderfully well and have been helping their husbands in fending for the family. The widows among them are also fending for their families and training their children in different trades and schools.

“If discouraged by the minister in the performance of his lawful duties, it would affect them and the economy too. Should he want to provide an alternative for them, I advise that he involves them and to an extent, those NGOs that have been empowering them, in the plans for the alternatives. This, if done wouldn’t only ensure that they are the beneficiaries from the alternatives, but also reduce to the barest minimum, trading in undesignated areas in the FCT.”