In the South-South region of Nigeria, a total of 840 small business operators in Bayelsa State have benefitted from the State Government’s initiative aimed at empowering women and youths in the State.
This is in fulfillment of the govenment’s promise to support indigenous Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the State.
On Friday, the State Government under the auspices of Governor Douye Diri, concluded the disbursement of N168m grant to a total of 840 beneficiaries across the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the beneficiaries got N200,000 grant each to strengthen businesses.
This was also in partial fulfilment of the promises made on behalf of the government by the state’s Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs and Empowerment, Mrs Faith Opuene.
Mrs Opuene had in July 2022, flagged off the first phase of beneficiaries from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, where she said the state Governor, Douye Diri had after disbursement of funds for small businesses during the second anniversary of his association “has decided to continue till the end of his tenure.”
At the flag off, Opene said the scheme was designed to enable the beneficiaries grow and expand their businesses to dominate the economy, adding that it will maintain a monthly disbursement of N200,000 each to 210 beneficiaries of the government’s Women and Youth Empowerment Programme in Yenagoa.
Relatedly, the commissioner while speaking at the presentation of the final phase of the grant on Friday, said that the gesture was borne out of the need to encourage entrepreneurship among the people.
Opuene in her speech, disclosed that amongst the beneficiaries were two males and two females adding that the beneficiaries were shortlisted from each of the 105 political wards in all the eight local government areas of the state.
This, she said was to ensure equal representation of all the wards while prioritizing equity, fairness and transparency in the disbursement of the grant.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a dealer in Fish who identified himself as Emmanuel Inipanmo, praised motive behind the initiative by the Diri-led administration. He expressed gratitude for the support while noting that growth was imminent.
The gospel of youth and women empowerment in Nigeria has been a major concern for many over the last few years and has continued to thrive in the country’s dwindling economy as employment opportunities have become nearly impossible to come by except individuals and groups create opportunities for themselves.
The social media has been instrumental in bringing this course to live as several individuals, groups and organisations utilize newer technological innovations to transform ideas into reality.
Advocacies have also sprung up with structures and invaluable platforms where children and women can learn and acquire productive skills, leadership skills, business skills and many others. These all constitute the forms of empowerment that could be offered them.
The Bayelsa State Government’s initiative however, provided financial grants for young men and women operating small businesses in the state as this could help boost the states economy and in turn, create more lucrative opportunities for other indigenes.
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