Osun government holds all traders consultative forum.

Worried by the persistent and disturbing hike in prices of goods and services especially food items in the State and nation-wide in recent times, the Governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola has ordered a consultative forum with Market Men and  Women ,Trade Associations and MSMEs in the State. 

The Consultative Forum was held recently in Osogbo at the Local Government Service Commission, Abere

The Governor who said the Consultative Forum is aimed at rubbing minds with Traders and Producers of essential food items such as bread,, Sachet water , Provision items, daily needs etc.. with a view to reducing the costs so as to alleviate the financial burden on the citizens.

Speaking through the Hon.. Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment,  Dr. Bode Olaonipekun, the Governor urged the Traders to be conscetious in all they do and  avoid arbitrary hiking of prices of goods and services, stressing that any hike in any product,  services or transport fares would have negative chain reaction on every area of life of the citizenry. 

The  Osun all traders consultative forum which had in attendance the Iyalojas, Babalojas,  Food Vendors, Master Barkers, Artisans and Service providers in the State was held specifically to seek their views, challenges and solutions to the current hike in prices of goods and services in the State.

He reiterated the commitment of his administration to making  life better for all in the State, especially Traders and MSMEs  at this critical period by enhancing their businesses and thereby improve the economy of the State. 

The Governor said his  administration is working towards introducing soft loans with no interest for traders inorder  to boost their businesses.

The Commissioner lauded the traders for their unfliching  support  to the government, saying that the administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola   was not unmindful of the situation of things, price wise , in the State .

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Cooperative Matters, Hon. Christiana Ogunfolaju urged them not to deterred in supporting the government  due to the suitaition of things as government would find a means of putting smiles back to the faces of sellers and buyers of different goods and services.

In his own view, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Intervention, Hon Lukman Bello, implored traders in the state to key into various government intervention programmes like Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) which has TraderMoni, Market money, Farmers Moni to improve their businesses.

 The Iyaloja General in the State,  Alhaja Awawu Asindemade, commended Governor Gboyega  for supporting traders with  various government intervention programmes.

She pleadged their unalloyed  support towards to the administration of Governor Gboyega.

Some of the challenges  attributed to hike in prices of  goods and services identified by the traders were  increase in transport fares, caused by the recent increase in the pump price of PMS  and  inability of farmers to produce enough food for domestic consumption as a result of insecurity in the northern part of the country.

They  however appealed to the  government to find a lasting solution to the insecurity in the northern states and the 

country as a whole.

At the forum were Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Market Development, Hon. Hakeem Okunade Samaja,  Coordinating Director, Ministry of Commerce, Mrs Kehinde Odediran, Director of Commerce, Mrs Ajibola Falode, representative of Babaloja General, Alhaji Ismaila Olaiya and members of different Trade Associations in the State.