Beneficiaries doing documentation.
By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
Kogi State Governnent,on Thursday, commenced processes of implementating the $ 6.8 million World Bank grant meant to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on small scale enterprises,SMEs, in the state.
The Correspondent of The Reporters, who visited Idrinana Hotels, Lokoja, noted that beneficiaries were seen carrying out documentations, preparatory to access the grants, with Kogi State Enterprise Development Association,KEDA, as the implementing agency.
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry,Mr Gabriel Olofu.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, KEDA, Hajia Rekiya Onaivo Sani,in an interview with Journalists at the occasion,disclosed that 2,000 beneficiaries of 40 per cent men,40 per cent women, 10 per cent people with disabilities and 10 pec cent youths ration would benefit from the grants.
She said that at the end of the documentation of the beneficiaries,KEDA would put in place “post project or disbursary and monitoring evaluation, to enable us see areas of impact and values to enable us project more programmes that will benefit the business communities in the state.”
Hajia Rekiya Onaivo Sani,MD/CEO,KEDA.
Sani expressed optimism that the grants would go along way in improving the social and economic development of the business communities in the state, particularly operatorsof Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs who,she added, constitute 80 per cent of the businesses in the state and Nigeria at large and improve the gross domestic product,GDP of the state.
Also speaking with Journalists, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Gabriel Olofu, said the grant would help to revive collapsed businesses as a result of COVID-19.
The Commissioner, who commended the management of KEDA for effective implementation of the programme, called on the beneficiaries to use the grant to boost their businesses in consonance with the aims and objectives of the programme.
One of the potential beneficiaries of the grant, Hajia Maimuna Bashir, who spoke with our Correspondent in a telephone interview in Lokoja, also Commended the transparent and detribalised method used by the MD/CEO of KEDA and her team in selection of the beneficiaries of the grant.
“The KEDA management ensured that the beneficiaries cut across the three Senatorial districts of the state. This is a vary commendable step because no district feels marginalised in the programme,”she said.
Hajia Bashir, who said that she would invest the grant into her cement and food business, expressed optimism that the grant would boost her business, a development she added would improve her social and economic status and her family as well.
