The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has disproved claims that their outfit has disbursed financial support to unscrupulous persons instead of traders whose shops were destroyed by fire at the Odawna Market.
At a meeting with leadership and some traders of the Odawna market, the Executive Director of NBSSI, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh urged the traders and the entire public to disregard such false claims and remain calm as the disbursement process is still ongoing.
She said the money was not shared based on party colours nor for a selected few: “We used data of affected traders you (market leaders) helped us collect from pedestrians, shop keepers, shop owners and so on at the registration and we used momo to pay everyone part of the first phase. So affected people can receive their package directly” she said.
Mrs, Yankey-Ayeh added that “We indicated that NBSSI will handle 1,000 out of the 2,000 registered traders while MASLOC supports the rest, we are done with the first phase where 625 people have benefited from 1.8 million Ghana Cedis”.
She made this known after some traders agitated that persons who received financial support from the NBSSI where not traders at the market.
She urged the traders who are yet to receive their stimulus package to stay calm and await the second phase which will soon commence.
She presented a list of beneficiaries of the first phase to the Odawna market leaders for cross checking.
In a remark, Francis Obeng on behalf of the traders expressed their gratitude to the NBSSI and the government for coming to their aid. He confirmed that the NBSSI has not discriminated in sharing the stimulus packages as they the leaders monitored the registration process.
He said the aid is a relief that will help them kick start their businesses again. He urged the media to be circumspect with their reportage and always speak to the rightful leaders to crosscheck for facts before publishing.
