The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation has taken the Tinubu administration’s mid-term performance report to traders at the Ijeh POWA Market in Obalende, Lagos, in a bid to deepen public awareness of government programmes and policies.
The sensitisation campaign, organised by the Lagos Centre of the ministry, highlighted key achievements of the administration in education, health, agriculture, power, and small business support, while also addressing concerns raised by traders.
Speaking during the outreach, the Head of the Lagos Centre, Mrs. Olabisi Osilaja, said the event was part of efforts by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, to engage directly with grassroots communities.
“We want people at the grassroots, including traders, artisans, and small business owners, to see how government programmes can benefit them and their families,” she said. “From education loans to subsidised healthcare and support for agriculture and small businesses, these initiatives are designed to ease daily struggles and create opportunities for growth.”
She explained that traders were introduced to the federal student loan programme and guided on how to register their children online. She added that some market families had already begun benefiting, with one trader’s child recently admitted to the University of Ibadan through the scheme.
On healthcare, Mrs. Osilaja highlighted the ongoing upgrade of primary health centres across the country, many of which now have modern facilities, trained frontline workers, and access to subsidised drugs through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). She urged traders to visit these centres, register under the NHIA, and take advantage of the affordable healthcare services.
For agriculture and business support, the ministry encouraged traders to form cooperative groups to access credit facilities and improved seeds for small-scale farming, aimed at boosting food supply and stabilising market prices.
Some traders who attended the programme expressed appreciation for the government’s outreach while also making appeals for more support.
Mrs. Oluwayemisi Kadiri, a trader at the market, praised the initiative, saying, “I am happy the government came to talk to us about education, health, and business support. Many of us now understand how to apply for student loans and access health services. This is the kind of engagement we need.”
Another trader, Mrs. Comfort Friday from Akwa Ibom, called for additional financial assistance and efforts to tackle high food prices. “I would really appreciate a small loan to expand my business,” she said. “If the government can also help reduce the prices of food items, it will make things much easier for families like mine.”
The outreach is part of a nationwide campaign aimed at strengthening citizens’ understanding of the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” and ensuring that policies and opportunities reach ordinary Nigerians in both urban and rural communities.