BUSINESS : YANGA MARKET TRADERS APPLAUD EDO GOVERNMENT FOR PROVIDING THEM WITH SOLAR POWERED COLD ROOM

By Mike ALADENIKA

Fresh Fish Traders at the popular Yanga in Benin City will ever remain grateful to the state government who recently supported their business with the installation of a  solar-powered fish cold room courtesy of  the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, Edo NEWMAP.

 This facility, According to some of the traders who spoke with SPARKNEWSNAIJA, has aided the preservation of their fish and other materials in the face of constant power failure, stressing that their loss margin has reduced drastically since the installation and Commissioning of the facility. 

It would be recalled that the wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs Besty OBASEKI commissioned the facility recently, when she commended Edo NEWMAP for the initiative which, she said, "would bring to an end the losses suffered by the traders in their fresh fish business on account of irregular power supply and absence of storage facilities".

The Wife of the Edo State Governor described the innovation as quite strategic as the value chain would create more openings for the fish traders across the State, adding that the uninterrupted solar power supply was a boost to the activities in the market.

She charged Edo NEWMAP to replicate the project, the first of its kind in Benin City, in different parts of the State and assured of her partnership in the successful execution of the scheme for the benefit of Edo women.

Mrs. Obaseki recalled her regular visits to the market saying, “As a Niger Delta woman, I used to come to Yanga Market to buy fresh fish for my household. I still desire to sneak in and do it myself, but my husband would not allow me.”

Speaking at the commissioning, the Edo State Project Coordinator, Dr. Tom Obaseki disclosed that the solar-powered cold room was one of the livelihood enhancement activities of NEWMAP geared towards empowering women and fighting poverty.

The Project Coordinator restated the determination of the State Project Management Unit of NEWMAP to execute projects that would make impact in the lives of the people of Edo State.

On her part, the Yanga Market Women Leader, Mrs. Queen Eheri described the installation of the storage facility as a miracle as "it was the first time they would be having it since the market opened thirty years ago."

Mrs. Eheri was "full of gratitude to Edo State Government under Governor Godwin Obaseki and NEWMAP for the choice of Yanga Market for the installation"

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