No fewer than 500,000 Abians are expected to benefit from the Federal Government social intervention fund, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), which has kicked off in Abia State.
Adanma Ogumka-Ekeji, managing director/CEO, Joint Heirs Limited, the state GEEP implementing agency/vendor for the programme, who broke the news in Umuahia, the state capital, said Abia had been chosen as one of the pilot states in Nigeria to test run the recently approved programme by the Federal Government.
While enlightening members of the public on the programme, Ogumka-Ekeji explained that the project would impact economically on the lives of the beneficiaries.
She said the intervention programme through micro enterprise was being implemented in collaboration with financial institutions, and was designed to provide access to credit to about 1.6 million Nigerian MSMEs, youths, farmers, traders and market women.
The chief executive of Joint Heirs said the programme was approved in July this year, with a mandate by the Federal Government to be executed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
She said 1,000,000 market women and traders, 200,000 artisans and MSMEs, 200,000 youths and 200,000 farmers/agric workers, respectively, were expected to benefit in the first phase of the programme.
Ogumka-Ekeji further said registration centres would be established in all markets and communities across the state, but she however stated that for one to benefit he/she must belong to cooperative society or any association.
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