‘It’s Not Just Akara, We’re Empowering Tomato Sellers Too’: Remi Tinubu Fires Back At Critics
Remi Tinubu says federal interventions extend beyond akara traders to tomato sellers and other petty businesses nationwide.
Remi Tinubu says federal interventions extend beyond akara traders to tomato sellers and other petty businesses nationwide.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has defended her recent remarks on empowering small scale businesses such as akara and roasted corn trading, insisting that the federal government’s support programme extends to several categories of petty traders under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking on Monday during the inauguration of the Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the palace of the Emir of Hadejia in Jigawa State, the First Lady said beneficiaries of interventions coordinated through her office also include traders dealing in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables and roasted plantain, popularly known as bole.
Her comments come days after she faced criticism on social media for highlighting akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli businesses as viable sources of income for women amid the country’s economic difficulties.
Responding to the criticism, Tinubu said the federal government had provided N100 million to the Jigawa State government to support 2,000 petty traders.
“And I know they’ve been talking that I said akara. It’s not only akara… we also have tomato sellers. We have bole, and those selling pepper, selling vegetables for us in the market, we’ll continue to empower them, add to their resources so that their trade can really be sustainable,” she said.
Tinubu said each beneficiary would receive N50,000 to recapitalise their businesses as part of efforts to make the enterprises sustainable.
She added that the government would not be discouraged by criticism surrounding the initiative.
“I know all those people who are affected, they do appreciate it. And we are not intimidated by all those wrong reports. But we are forging ahead and making sure that our people are well cared for,” she said.
The First Lady also encouraged young Nigerians to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture, arguing that the country possesses enormous untapped potential outside the oil sector.
She cited an orange orchard she recently visited in Benue State as an example of the opportunities available within the agricultural sector.
