Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on Wednesday launched it’s Conditional Grant Scheme for micro enterprises in Anambra.
Dr. Dikko Radda, the Director-General (D-G) of the agency, said in his keynote address during the launch at Nnewi, that 810 Anambra youths would be trained under the scheme this year.
Radda said that the beneficiaries would form part of the 6,000 Nigerians targeted by the scheme across the federation in the 2019 fiscal year.
He said, “the 2019 scheme with target beneficiaries of of over 6, 000 is scheduled to run in four states of Lagos, Sokoto, Bauchi and Anambra.”
The D-G, represented by Mr Wale Fasanya, a Director in the agency, further said that the scheme sought to promote the activities of micro enterprises across the country, especially in the area of capacity building and post-intervention support.
He said that the pilot phase of the programme was conducted in 2017 across 145 local government areas (LGAs) in Katsina, Gombe, Ebonyi, Oyo, Akwa Ibom and Benue states.
Radda said, “Over 13,000 micro-enterprises shortlisted across the LGAs in the pilot states were impacted with enterpreneuship training and access to finance, among others.”
He said that each beneficiary would be given N50, 000, adding that the beneficiaries could be supported to get bigger loan, depending on their performance.
Mr Daniel Okoli, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Wealth Creation in the state, who officially launched the scheme, said the state was happy to be part of the programme.
Okoli charged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously in order to make meaningful impact on the economy of the state.
He said that the scheme would help to create more job opportunities, which would in turn boost the state’s internally generated revenue, if the beneficiaries deployed the grants effectively.
Mr Egwu Chima, member representing South-East in the governing board of SMEDAN, said the agency had shown great commitment in the establishment of micro enterprises since the inception of the present administration.
Chief Chris Azubuogu, representing Nnewi South, Nnewi North and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, advised the beneficiaries to take the training seriously in order to improve their businesses and income.
Tbi Africa.com said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Azubuogu, who sponsored 217 persons for the 2019 phase, was represented at the launch by Mrs Ijeoma Ezeaso.
A beneficiary, Miss Helen Enyoghasi, said in an interview with NAN that she was happy to be part of the programme and promised to utilise the grant effectively to establish her own business at the end of the training.
