Having suspected fraud in the application process for the N1 billion operational grant meant to boost operations of Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in the State, the Ogun State Government has warned the applicants of the scheme to be wary of third-party applications.
The Ogun State government had recently launched an operational grant of N1 billion, tagged “Ogun State COVID-19 Recovery and Stimulus Programme (Ogun-Cares) which is being done in partnership with the Federal Government to provide the much-needed economic stimulus for small and medium-scale enterprises that suffered negative impacts of COVID-19.
Speaking at the third stakeholders’ meeting held in Sango-Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Dapo Okubadejo, Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, declared that the State Government had offered a seamless application platform for would-be applicant and beneficiary of the operational grant at no cost attached.
The Chairman of State Steering Committee of Ogun-Cares Programme, represented by Sola Arobieke, Programme Manager and Senior Special Assistant on Industry, Trade and Investment, noted that the intention was to stimulate economy and empower operators of MSMEs in the State and not to further burden entrepreneurs with series of unnecessary application fees in order to gain access to the grant.
Okubadejo, who said that the stakeholders engagement session had taken place in the three Senatorial Districts of the State – East, Central and West with over 2,000 key MSMEs stakeholders in attendance, noted
that the programme is a continuous one as applications processing would commence soon with no charges attached, adding that feedbacks received would be looked into and necessary actions would be taken.
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He said, “The applicants should be wary of fraudsters who may be using this N1 billion operational grant programme to extort our entrepreneurs. State Government does not charge any fee for application for this grant and neither has it engaged any third party agents to process applications on its behalf.”
He however urged prospective applicants to disregard fraudulent messages making rounds about the programme and appealed to the members of the public to seek some clarification where necessary from the Oke-Mosan Programme Office at Block B, State Secretariat, Abeokuta or call any numbers or send an email to contact details stated on the information flyers which are already in circulation.
Responding separately, Cynthia Saka, the President Ota-Agbara Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OTA-Agbara CCIMA) and Femi Egbesola, President of Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), commended the Federal Government, World Bank and the State Government for initiating such a lofty idea and support for the micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, saying if the operational grant were utilized wisely it could turn their businesses around for good.
Also, Oluwayemi Abass, Iyaloja General of Ogun State, said the programme is a great indicator that the present Administration led by Governor Dapo Abiodun is visionary, stating that for any government in power to prioritise the growth of MSMEs, such a government should be applauded and be given a pass mark.
