Authorities of the Nigerian Army have announced the re-opening of the Maimalari Cantonment Mammy Market in Maiduguri, Borno State, three years after it was shut down.
The market was initially closed due to deadly activities of Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri.
At the launch of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Investment Initiatives for Barracks Community in Maiduguri, Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, disclosed that Army authorities have okayed the re-opening of the market.
He explained that the decision was to alleviate the sufferings of the barracks community which had been negatively affected by the long closure.
At the occasion, which was attended by several army officers, a soft loan of N1 million was given to 10 women corporative groups. Also, 10 tricycles were doled out to 10 barrack youths as part of the initiatives.
According to Ezugwu, “the launch is all about trying to conform to the COAS, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s intention for formulating COAS Investment Initiative for Barracks Community. He directed all GOCs to launch it in all the army barracks nationwide.”
Speaking further, Ezugwu said, “The objective is to create employment opportunities for our women and children that are up to employment age but have no jobs for them to have means of livelihood to support the husbands and fathers to make a living.
“Today, 10 cooperative women groups benefited from our soft loans of N100, 000 each, totalling N1 million.”
The army officer added that, “We want to make it monthly affair to empower all the women in the barracks. The tricycles are also trying to provide jobs for the youths who have no jobs.”
