Lodwar Farm Produce Market in Turkana County has been upgraded with new cobbles stone technology to ensure it lasts for years without requiring repairs on the pavements.
Assistant Director General for International Labour Organization Mia Sepoo, together with the county Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus presided over the commissioning of Lodwar Fresh Produce Market.
The Assistant Director General stated that ILO was proud of the partnership that made it possible to realize the vision.
Sepoo assured traders that the market would help towards economic empowerment of residents, key of whom were women.
The Assistant Director challenged traders to thrive through decent business engagements that would benefit them as a business community, generate revenue for the government and enhance services for their customers.
She said, “The International Labour Organization promotes labour rights, labour standards and decent work. It works with both employers and the private sector to enhance democracy at the workplace.”
She also assured of her continuous support for the TVET sector and skills development that responds to job opportunities in Turkana County.
On his part, the Deputy Governor expressed his gratitude to the International Labour Organization for the collaboration on investment and continuous partnership to upgrade the Lodwar Fresh Produce Market.
Dr. Erus noted that the market would create social-economic opportunities for people by increasing access to finance through the Ministry of Trade, Gender and Youth Affairs, which provides an environment where businesses could thrive.
He said Turkana County is moving into consolidating finances that were intended for socio-economic development under the cooperative framework as a business model.
ILO Training expert Joab Osika stated that cobblestones technology seeks to improve the employment of youth and women.
“I believe this is an employment opportunity for the youth because they had nothing to do,” he said.
Osika said that ILO has invested a lot of funds to run the project in Lodwar in terms of labour force, stating that women were the majority in Kalong’oromoe, where stones are shaped into various sizes and brought into the market for pavement construction.
A trader in Lodwar, Sheila Akwam, expressed her gratitude for the opening of the fresh produce market which she said has since addressed the challenge of selling commodities at the roadside.
By Ngasike Ezekie and Peter Gitonga
