Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
Over 1,260 women and youths from the 105 wards in eight local government areas in Bayelsa State has received N200,000 each as empowerment package to boast their business and grow the state’s economy.
The empowerment programme, which was tagged “Women and Youths Empowerment Programme,” was flagged-off in February 2022 to empowered owners of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the state.
The Chairperson of the Seven-man Committee for the Disbursement and Monitoring of the Scheme, Mrs. Faith Opene, who spoke during the cash disbursement in Yenagoa, reiterated the commitment of the state government under the administration of Governor Douye Diri, to boost the economy of the state through SMEs.
Opene said Governor Diri has assured business owners that his administration would empower two business owners per ward with N200, 000 across the eight local governments every month till the end of his first tenure.
Opene, who is also the State Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs, Empowerment and Social Development, urged beneficiaries to make good use of the money and own the economy of the state instead of leaving it in the hands of non-indigenes.
She said: “the programme is to encourage those that are already in business across the eight local government areas to grow their businesses.”
She said that there is no political consideration in the selection of the beneficiaries for the empowerment programme and warned beneficiaries that government would monitor if they used for the purpose it was meant for.
Some of the beneficiaries who got N200,000 cash each expressed their appreciation to Governor Diri, and assured him that they would make judicious use of the money.
Mrs. Ebomotimi Waripamo, who got N200,000, said the money would enable her to grow her local bread (Madiga) baking business.
