Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the governor of Osun State has lauded his administration for banishing poverty, hunger and unemployment through prompt implementation of people-oriented policies that have made life abundant, meaningful and prosperous for the citizenry.
He made the statement on Monday at the official launching of empowerment programme for 30,000 petty traders in Iwo, Osun State.
The event has in attendance the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Arebesola, his Deputy, Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, Minister for Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, members of the State and National Houses of Assembly, Security Chiefs, top government functionaries, politicians, among others.
According to Governor Aregbesola, his administration has uprooted the scourge of poverty, hunger and unemployment in the state.
He said his administration has been very passionate and sensitive to the welfare of the people as seen in the positive impacts of the government on the lives of the citizenry.
Governor Aregbesola applauded President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government for coming up with the people-oriented project and for choosing Osun to be among the benefitting states in the country.
He expressed hope that the empowerment scheme will heighten the tempo of trade and bring dynamism to micro businesses in the state.
“It is our belief that this initiative will complement our social intervention programmes to make life abundant, meaningful, worthwhile and prosperous for our people.
“We are very happy that this empower programme has come to our state as we are optimistic that it will bring a drastic improvement on trade.
“We are very confident of the fact that this scheme will increase and heighten the tempo and dynamism in trade and commerce in our state”, Aregbesola added.
In his own remarks, Vice President Osinbajo said Nigerians have always been at the centre stage of President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies since assumption of office, adding that the present administration has done excellently well to eradicate poverty in the country.
He attributed the successes recorded by the Federal Government on its social protection projects across the length and breadth of Nigeria as a clear testimony to good governance with which Buhari’s government has institutionalized.
Speaking on the significance of the empowerment programme, Osinbajo said the initiative was conceptualized to empower the masses, particularly petty traders who could not afford capital to kick-start trades.
He said the scheme was part of the FG’s social protection programmes to eradicate poverty, hunger and unemployment in the country‎ and make life worthwhile for Nigerians.
According to him, “Our administration has been people-oriented and masses-friendly as manifested in our commitment to human and capital developments.
“The present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari has done so much to empower the citizens as we can see in the commitment and passion that our administration attached to anything that can bring all round development.
“The newly launched empowerment scheme will afford Nigerians, particularly petty traders, to access soft loan to invest on small scale businesses.
“This initiative is in continuation of our support to commerce, trade and industry, particularly to complement a ‘Money Market scheme’ that centres only on those that have shops as this new initiative will support hawkers and petty traders”, he added.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Bank of Industry, Mrs Toyin Adeniji ‎lauded the Federal Government for partnering with Bank of Industry to actualize the success of the project.
She said over 10,000 people out of 30,000 targeted beneficiaries have been registered and given cash to kick-start micro businesses.
Adeniji held that ‎each of the beneficiaries has been given N10,000 to kick-start petty trade, the soft loans which according to her will be refunded within six months.
She added that every beneficiary is entitled to increment in the percentage of the loans saying the level of increment is based on timely and prompt refunds‎.
“This is a soft loan organized to boost trade in the state, it is an initiative to encourage petty traders who cannot afford capital to begin micro businesses.
“Every beneficiary is entitled to N10,000 as first aid to begin a business and when the money is refunded on time, then he or she will be given more vis-a-vis N20,000, N50,000‎, N100,000 and more”, she added.
In his goodwill message, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi commended President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for being committed to human and capital development.
He expressed gratitude to Federal Government for launching the empowerment programme in Iwo town, saying the initiative will go a long way to boost trading activities in the town, state and Nigeria as a whole.
Packaged by Rahman Salami
