SMEDAN launches Conditional Grant Scheme in Nnewi
Our reporter
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has launched its Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) for micro enterprises in Anambra State.
Speaking at the event which that place at the Dame Virgy Etiaba Event Center in Nnewi, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, said that 810 Anambra youths would be trained under the scheme this year, adding that the beneficiaries would form part of the 6,000 Nigerians targeted by the scheme across the federation in the 2019 fiscal year.
“The 2019 scheme with target beneficiaries of over 6, 000 is scheduled to run in four states of Lagos, Sokoto, Bauchi and Anambra,” he said.
The Director General who was represented by Wale Fasanya, Director, Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation of 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.
“Over 13,000 micro-enterprises shortlisted across the LGAs in the pilot states were impacted with entrepreneurship training and access to finance, among others,” he said and added that each beneficiary would be given N50, 000, and could also be supported to get bigger loan, depending on their performance.
The permanent secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Wealth Creation in the state, Daniel Okoli, who officially launched the scheme, said the state was happy to be part of the programme and charged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously in order to make meaningful impact on the economy of the state.
He said 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.
A member representing South-East in the governing board of SMEDAN Egwu Chima, said the agency had shown great commitment in the establishment of micro enterprises since the inception of the present administration.
He lauded the management of the Agency for ensuring all the states in the federation benefits from the scheme while Hon. Chris Azubogu, representing Nnewi South, Nnewi North and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency at the national assembly advised the beneficiaries to take the training seriously in order to improve their businesses and income.
Hon Azubogu, who sponsored 217 persons for the 2019 phase, was represented at the launch by Ijeoma Ezeaso.
A beneficiary, Helen Enyoghasi, said in an interview that she was happy to be part of the programme and promised to utilize the grant effectively to establish her own business at the end of the training.
