LG boss, govt agents allegedly disrupt Trader Moni programme in Abeokuta

The Chairman of Abeokuta North West Local Council Development Area, Hon. Sorunke Monsuru and some suspected agents of the government, on Tuesday, were accused of disrupting the disbursement of loans, under the Trader Moni scheme to market men and women at Lafenwa market, in Abeokuta.

Tribune Online learnt that the disbursement exercise was underway when Sorunke and some people believed to be members of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) stormed the venue and dispersed the gathering.

The traders were said to be registering their names and other necessary information, with the officials of the Trader Moni Scheme, at the stall of the Iyaloja of Lafenwa, Alhaja Ramotalai Olatunji, before the programme was stopped.

The LG boss was alleged to have whisked away the market woman leader and that some certain amount of money was given to her to share with the traders as a form of compensation.

The Trader Moni scheme, an initiative of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration had successfully held in different parts of the state without hitch.

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While reacting, Sorunke, described the allegation as untrue, explaining that he was at the market based on information at his disposal that some people were collecting names and Permanent Voter Cards of the traders.

He said, “I was in front of the governor (Amosun) when we heard that some people came to Lafenwa collecting people’s PVCs from the traders with their names and PVCs numbers and the governor said we should go out and find out.

“It was the governor that sent us. I was in front of the governor when we heard the information. So, I collected Iyaloja’s phone number from Hon. Akintona. We took Iyaloja to the governor’s house along with Babaloja of Lafenwa.

“We believe it was wrong for them to come and collect people’s PVCs with numbers before election day. That was what they came to do at Lafenwa.

“My message is that we should be vigilant, not only the electorate but all the politicians in Ogun State. We must be vigilant. These people are ready to confuse our programme by giving them money, they want to give them money because of the coming election and it is wrong.”