Dr Kayode Fayemi’s government in Ekiti State has partnered with Ecobank to ensure financial inclusion, women empowerment, micro credit loans and agency banking across communities in the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Olayinka Oyebode, said this in a statement obtained over the weekend titled ‘Ekiti partners Ecobank to drive women empowerment, microcredit loans and agency banking’ .
The statement said this was disclosed in Ado-Ekiti at the maiden edition of ‘Se’tigbo’ (Have you heard), a public enlightenment programme on Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration’s policies and achievements.
The programme which began in Ado-Ekiti featured the informal sector of the state, a body comprising artisans, traders and vocational associations.
Over 80 trade and vocational associations were represented at the engagement, the statement said.
Welcoming attendees to the meeting, the Special Adviser, Communications and Strategy to the Governor, Mrs Olusola Salako-Ajulo, explained that the concept of grassroots communications was designed and adopted because of the need to engage the people on policies, activities and achievements of the government.
She noted that the government, in the last 18 months, had embarked on transformational policies and projects that needed to be duly communicated to the people so they could participate and benefit from the opportunities such policies and projects provide.
Speaking on behalf of the Ecobank team, Mrs Tolulope Adedapo, explained various empowerment opportunities the bank was ready to provide under the financial inclusion partnership with the state government’s community communications platform.
She noted that the Ecobank Entrepreneurship Initiative, a pilot project in the Southwest region, was set to empower thousands of Ekiti women who were into various forms of Small and Medium Enterprises.
According to her, beneficiaries would receive loans from N50,000 (with interest rates starting at five per cent interest rate) payable within six months.
She said qualifying beneficiaries would have to undergo financial management training and would be issued certificates of participation which qualified them to access the loan.
Another representative of the bank, Mr Yinka Onireti, spoke on highlights of agency banking, a product that embraced digital evolution and promoted financial inclusion as directed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to empower individuals to perform banking operations for their communities in the comfort of their shops and offices.
Onireti said, “Agency banking has the potential to create thousands of jobs which is very healthy for the economy of the Ekiti State.
“It is also a source of financial empowerment for intending entrepreneurs and additional source of income for existing SMEs.”
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran with additional reports from punchng.com
