By Aliyu DANLADI
The Federal Government has said it will establish Entrepreneur Bank to enhance small scale businesses for women and youths if the current administration is re-elected into power.
Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this while addressing the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally held on Friday at Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
Osinbajo said that the bank, when established, would give loans to youths and women at very low interest rate to improve their businesses.
He told the party supporters that when APC in 2015 promised to provide jobs for five million Nigerians, the opposition party did not believe, he however stressed that the party had delivered on its campaign promises.
“N-Power is only the beginning; we are starting something called the entrepreneur bank. That bank is for giving loans to men and women like this in N-Power who have a plan for the future.
“The loans will be given to them at very little interest rate so that they can start their own businesses, and so that they can make progress.
“When we said in 2015 that we will start N-Power, they said it was impossible, that how can you employ five million people? But we have done it.
“We said we were going to do home-grown school feeding, today we are feeding 9.2 million children all over Nigeria.
“They say it is impossible but home-grown school feeding is here. Home-grown school feeding used 6.8million eggs in one week and we are expanding it.
“If you are a young man or woman here and you vote for PDP, know that you are living in the past, every young man or woman must go to the next level.
“If you have voted PDP in the past, apologise and say we are going to the next level.
“I cannot remain on the same level. The next level is where it is happening. Everything we said we will do, we have already done and we will do more,” Osinbajo said.
The vice president urged Akwa Ibom people not play opposition, stressing that the state was strategically positioned for development.
According to him, palm oil being abundant in the state when properly harnessed, would replace crude oil and boost the its economy.
“We have found here palm oil which will be a replacement for crude oil, so we are going to be number one in this local government. That is one of the reasons that you must join the Federal Government under the APC.
“Akwa Ibom should not be in opposition, no reason. There is every reason for you to join so that you become part of the next level.
“All of the young people who are here, the government of President Buhari is determined to make sure that not only do you have jobs, you have quality jobs.
“That is one of the most important things we are doing. That is why you must support APC,’’ he said.
Earlier, the APC governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom, Mr Nsima Ekere, assured that the Federal Government that the state had resources to replace crude oil with palm oil.
Ekere said that when crude oil was no more Akwa Ibom palm oil would sustain the nation’s economy.
“Mr Vice President, as you are going, take the message the message to the president that when crude oil is finished, we will sustain the economy with our palm oil,” Ekere said.——NAN
