Bauchi State lawmaker disburses N6m to Azare/Madangala Traders
By Musa Shehu
The Member representing Azare-Madangala Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Zakariya Saleh Mai Gero, has disbursed about N6 million to traders and small-scale entrepreneurs in his constituency under the Mai Gero Empowerment Initiative, Phase One.
Speaking at the distribution ceremony, a member of the disbursement committee, Malam Ali Nasir Hamma, said the empowerment programme was one of several interventions undertaken by Alhaji Zakariya Saleh Mai Gero to support constituents and promote economic development in the area.
He identified the purchase of a circuit breaker valued at more than N35 million as another major intervention by the lawmaker aimed at improving electricity supply in the constituency.
Malam Ali Nasir urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds judiciously and invest them in their businesses, assuring those who were not included in the first phase that more beneficiaries would be supported in subsequent phases.
Also speaking, the APC Chairman of Katagum Local Government Area, Alhaji Sani Bala, commended Mai Gero for his developmental initiatives and various forms of assistance to constituents, including food support and Ramadan palliatives.
He said the business empowerment programme would provide much needed relief to traders and small-scale entrepreneurs affected by prevailing economic challenges.
In his remarks, Alhaji Zakariya Saleh Mai Gero said supporting traders and entrepreneurs was part of his responsibility as a representative of the people.
He urged the beneficiaries to invest the money wisely, noting that his experience as a businessman had given him firsthand knowledge of the challenges confronting traders and small-scale business owners.
The lawmaker also expressed his readiness to identify and support more groups of traders across the constituency under subsequent phases of the empowerment initiative.
The lawmaker further appealed to constituents to continue supporting him and other APC candidates, saying such support would enable him to sustain programmes aimed at improving the welfare and economic wellbeing of the people.
The beneficiaries of the first phase include grain sellers, groundnut sellers, foodstuff traders, butchers, tea vendors, fish sellers, kola nut traders, plastic dealers, yam sellers and poultry traders.
