The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has empowered 100 women traders in Anambra State with interest-free loans to enable them improve on their businesses.

The loans, according to UBA, is the bank’s way of responding to the clarion call for the eradication of poverty in Nigeria and assisting genuine traders and marketers to improve on their businesses.

The women were selected from the over 5,000 members of the group who operate under the umbrella of National Association of Traders and Market Leaders.

Speaking to journalists, the National Vice President of the women group, Mrs. Joy Igboka, hailed UBA for identifying with the poverty alleviation programme of the association by granting the interest-free loans and without collateral to the genuine traders and market leaders in the South-East and South-South zones.

She outlined the objectives of the association to include reducing moral decadence and laxity in Nigeria through periodic seminars and workshops for traders, artisans and farmers.

Mrs. Igboka called on the national and state assemblies to enact laws that would help better the living conditions of Nigerians through noble ventures. She also called on Nigerians in the Diaspora to set up non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to assist in reducing the level of crime in Nigeria.

•Photo shows UBA MD/CEO Philips Oduoza.