NDE disburses N2.98m loan to over 70 beneficiaries in Sokoto

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto –

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Monday commenced the orientation and disbursement of N2.980,000 million loans to over 70 beneficiaries in the “Start Your Own Business” (SYOB) and Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme (MEES) in Sokoto.

The Managing Director of NDE, Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fipko, said the business scheme is aimed at training graduates of tertiary institutions on entrepreneurship and business management skills.

Malam Fikpo, who was represented by the Sokoto State Coordinator of NDE, Malam Mustapha Aliyu Goniri, said the MEES is an innovation introduced by the NDE to help fight poverty and encourage micro enterprise to help boost economic activity in the country.

While urging youths to embrace self employment, The NDE boss noted that the increase rate of unemployment in the already over bloated labour market can only result in frustration, rise in anti-social activities such as restiveness, prostitution, robbery, kidnapping and other social ills.

He added that NDE deployed gender inclusiveness in selecting the beneficiaries, including persons with disability.

According to him, the beneficiaries are categorized into two with the first comprising of 3 beneficiaries in Start Your Own Business, while 77 persons are beneficiaries of the Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme.

“The 3 persons for the SYOB will be given 500,000.00 each, while the 74 other beneficiaries of the MEES will be given 20,000.00 each”.

He further explained that, repayment for both categories will begin after 6 months. “Those of SYOB will repay in two and half year, while those of MEES will repay within one-year”.

Explaining the rational behind the loan, the Head of Department (HOD) of Small Scale Enterprise (SSE) Department of the NDE, Hajiya Hafsat Abubakar said the agency is ever ready to continue to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians through its numerous programmes.

She also appealed to all beneficiaries to make judicious use of whatever they are given to become self employed and employers of labour..

Speaking in her goodwill message, Sokoto State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hon. Kulu Sifawa represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Barrister Aisha Dantsoho, said NDE has been a long term worthy partner of the State and ministry in terms of enhancing the standard of leaving of the people.

She said the beneficiaries should see themselves lucky to have been so favoured, while reminding them to pay back the loan in due time for others to also benefit as a revolving fund.

“I am glad that for this year, there are a good number of people with disability as beneficiaries, and that entails gender inclusivity, which we continue to clamour for”. Hon. Sifawa noted.

One of the beneficiaries, Aisha Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of others, promised that they will make judicious use of the loan and ensure they pay back on time in other for others to benefit as well.