Idowu Gabriel

No fewer than 9,000 artisans: electricians, automobile mechanics, plumbers, painters, and taxi drivers, will benefit from the Federal Government’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Survival Fund in Ekiti.

Mr Tomi Ikuomola, Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in Ekiti made this known on Tuesday, at a stakeholders Town Hall Meeting on MSMEs Survival Fund in Ado-Ekiti.

Ikuomola said that the beneficiaries would be given N30,000 each from the fund, to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses.

He explained that the meeting was designed to sensitise the beneficiaries on government’s readiness to assist them to mitigate the hardship that arose from COVID-19 pandemic.

“The essence of this meeting is to sensitise relevant stakeholders that have roles to play in creating awareness about FG’s programmes for MSMEs.

“The concerns of the government is to provide critical and timely support that can guarantee improved conditions of living for every Nigerian.

“The scheme is a conditional grant to support vulnerable MSMEs in meeting their payroll obligations and safeguard jobs from the shock of COVID-19 pandemic,” Okuomola added.

Special Adviser to Gov. Kayode Fayemi on Informal Sector, Mr Aladeloye Oroya, disclosed that the first batch of beneficiaries of about 4,500 would have their account hopefully credited before Christmas.

Oroya thanked the Federal and Ekiti governments for initiating people centre-programmes that would uplift that living condition of the people.

He assured that necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that the beneficiaries make the best use of the money for the purpose of which it is meant for.

Some of the beneficiaries, Mr Shittu Ayuba and Mr Kehinde Samuel, thanked the governments for considering them in such a laudable programme.