Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said that his Administration has commenced the distribution of N100,000 seed money to all petty traders in the state to assist them grow their businesses.
Ikpeazu dropped the cherry news at Government House, Umuahia when the management of BusinessDay led by the Editor, Patrick Atuanya came to present him awards won by Abia State in the areas of Most Improved State in Promotion of Education and Most Improved State in Promotion of Indigenous Products and SMEs.
The governor said that the awards by BusinessDay would serve as a tonic for his administration to do more in order to develop the state.
He further said that the awards had confirmed earlier award to the state by World Bank as one of the best states in Ease of Doing Business.
He noted that Education was pivotal to the economic growth of the nation, no matter the type of business one was engaged in, adding that 100 Abians would be leaving for Australia on scholarship soon.
Ikpeazu dedicated the awards to his team and ordinary Abians.
Patrick Atuanya, earlier in his speech said that the award ceremony took place last year November when Abia State won the two awards, saying that BusinessDay had deemed it fit to honour states that had performed creditably in different categories of the yearly event.
He said that BusinessDay Newspapers had observed with keen interest that Abia was doing well in infrastructure and promotion of SMEs.
“Abia is key, especially Aba, in SMEs. We support the strides that you are making in Enyimba Economic City and your support to SMEs. Before we give award, we subject it to rigorous screening by our various editors. We don’t award anyhow because BusineesDay is credible,” the Editor said.
UDOKA AGWU, UMUAHIA
