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From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Thursday launched the disbursement of Micro Enterprises Enhancement Scheme loan to 374 artisan in Taraba state.
The state coordinator of the program Alhaji Danjuma Shehu said that 8,126 artisans were to benefit from the loan across 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT, with 228 persons per state except Taraba that was favoured with 374 artisan.
Shehu explained that the idea was to empower graduated artisans to expand their businesses, enhance the businesses of the artisans, increase their wealth and increase the number of persons employable by their businesses.
“The participants are expected to have an existing businesses to be able to Provide project addresses that can be located with ease by the officers on supervision.
“Due diligence should be undertaken by all state to identify this location prior to the disbursement exercise. Disbursement of funds to the beneficiaries using information provided as regards to their respective account number and banks. Each of the successful artisans will receive the sum of twenty thousand Naira (20,000:00) only for the 8,126 persons in the 36 states and FCT.
“The loan will have a moratorium of three (3) months before paying back so that others will benefits. A team of monitoring will be visiting your business to ensure the said business are on ground so that at least you reduce the unemployed youth that are moving along the street” Danjuma explained.
Earlier, Mr. Igbankwe Thomas. Head of Rural Employment Promotion (REP), who represented the Head of Small Scale Enterprise department of the Directorate, adviced prospective beneficiaries to see the opportunity as a life changing step and ensure they use the money for the purpose it meant for.
Mrs. Agnes Attah, one of the beneficiary thanked NDE for the support aim at improving their living conditions and promised to make NDE proud.
