All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kaduna Central Senatorial district, Muhammad Sani Dattijo, has charged the business community to participate in the February 25 and March 11 federal and state elections.
The senatorial hopeful made the call when he financially empowered 1000 small and medium scale business owners selected from seven local governments that make up Kaduna Central Senatorial district.
According to the candidate, the support is meant to revive small businesses across the Kaduna Central Senatorial District including businesses in Giwa, Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Chikun and Kajuru local government areas.
APC senatorial candidate, last week Monday, announced a funding support of N10,000,000 to support petty traders and other small business owners across Kaduna Central Senatorial District during a business meeting with the leadership of Kaduna Traders Union with representatives from markets across 7 local government areas.
At the flag off ceremony in Kaduna, Dattijo said “As an individual, I am truly concerned about how the 2019 COVID pandemic and the recent slowdown in the global economy has impacted on small businesses leading to economic hardship among our people especially women and youth. Our support to resuscitate small businesses that ultimately empowers our people is a major pillar of why we are seeking to represent our people.”
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman Kaduna State Market Union, Alhaji Abdurrahman expressed delight and commended the Senatorial candidate for the gesture and urged others to emulate him.
According to Alhaji Abdurrahman; “Due to the impact of COVID-19, so many of our people were affected, leading to severe economic hardship and collapse of several small businesses with direct consequences on their families and defendants. We are therefore appreciative of Dattijo and wish to urge others to emulate him”.
A joint committee saddled with the responsibility of identifying beneficiaries from across the 7 local government areas of Kaduna Central Senatorial District had finalized modalities to fast-track disbursement of the funds to deserving businesses across Kaduna Central Senatorial District.
The senatorial candidate on Saturday also empowered 1000 women with grinding machines and climate change friendly stoves to eradicate poverty among them.
Dattijo said it was the first phase of the distribution scheme which was flagged off by the Deputy Governor of the State, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe under the same Dattijo Empowerment and Development Initiative (DEDI).
He further urged the business community to mobilise its members ahead of the forthcoming general elections and support the APC at the polls promising to further support small businesses especially market women and youth when elected.
