Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Prof Adeolu Akande, has donated 800 bags of rice to traders in the burnt Araromi Spare Parts Market in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He also gave out N1 million interest-free youth empowerment programme loans to support graduating apprentices.
The NCC chairman handed over the donated items to the traders when he paid a visit to the market. The interest-free support to the youths was carried out through Adeolu Akande Foundation.
The marketplace, which is one of the largest spare parts shopping places in West Africa, was gutted by fire two weeks ago, leading to the loss of property worth millions of naira
In his meeting with market leaders, Akande said he had opened talks with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ensure that palliatives were supplied to the traders.
Akande recalled that as a reporter in the Nigerian Tribune, he was a regular visitor to the market.
“Anyone who uses a fairly used vehicle must be a friend to the mechanics and spare parts sellers,” he said. He expressed concern over the fate of young graduating apprentices, who on graduation, find it difficult to raise funds to start their own businesses.
On the N1 million support by the Adeolu Akande Foundation to young apprentices, he said the loan would be managed by representatives of the foundation and members of the market.
