Mrs Felicia Sani, the National President of the Market Men and Women Association of Nigeria, has called on government at all levels to introduce the services of sanitary inspectors in markets.

Sani, who made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday, expressed concern over the poor sewage systems across the FCT.

According to him, many of such damaged or broken down sewage were close to some markets in the territory.

“Let the change which is the slogan of the present government be seen everywhere.

“When I was growing up, there used to be sanitary inspectors who go round city and villages to ensure that everywhere is clean.

“They also check for all environmental challenges, tackle them immediately.

“The government should bring back those sanitary inspectors and they should be serious with the health of the citizens.

“We should also join hands together with the government and the people that are assigned to do the jobs so that they can do it well,’’ she said.

Sani also expressed concern over some unhygienic abattoirs in the FCT, where meat was being slaughtered and sold to the public.

“That is not how to sell meat. You sell meat in an enclosure with net covering it. A lot of Nigerians die because we are not clean,’’ she said.

Sani called on bodies responsible for the cleanup of the environment to do so promptly for the sake of the health of the people and the environmental.

Sani also appealed to the government to provide soft loans to market women to boost their businesses and the economy.

“The government should give us soft loans.

“We do not want them to dash us money, what we are asking for is small money that we can pay back within a period of time.

“N10, 000 to N20, 000 will be enough for a woman frying akara (beans balls), they should empower women and monitor the money.

“How can you give me loan and you charge me 20 per cent interest, you are killing me and do not want my business to grow.

Sani told NAN that some women are bread winners in their families, saying that giving them soft loans will help improve their means of livelihood and families.

She stressed the need for government at all levels to ensure proper utilisation of taxes, especially those collected at the markets.