BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) through the Small Scale Enterprise Department (SSE) and Women Empowerment Branch has flagged off the disbursement of 20, 000 naira each to 228 beneficiaries of Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme (MEES) in Sokoto.
Speaking on the rationale behind the loan facility, Sokoto State Coordinator of NDE, Mrs Eunice DanMallam said it is part of the Federal Government’s programmes towards assisting petty business owners to scale up.
Mrs Danmallam, who spoke on behalf of the Director General of NDE, Malam Nuhu Fipko assured that the flexibility of the loan will no doubt help small business owners to expand their trades.
Said Fipko, ” 20,000 naira will be given to each of the beneficiaries. They are, however, expected to pay back with 9 percent interest and within 18 months.
“They will not pay anything within the first three months of obtaining this loan. But after that, they will start paying 1, 200 naira monthly for the remaining 18 months period’.
Malam Fikpo, who appealed to beneficiaries to make good use of the loan, further divulged that a total of 8,126 across the country will benefit from the MEES.
Responding on behalf of the female beneficiaries, Hajara Babi said they have diverse associations with some into local juice (Zobo), groundnut cake, oil, plaiting, sewing and even baking business.
She thanked the NDE for the gesture, adding that it will go a long way in boosting their income.
For the male beneficiaries, Isiaku Musa, who spoke on their behalf appealed to the federal government to speedily find an end to the high degree of insecurity, as according to him, it’s negatively affecting all of them.
