Kwara State Government disburses N160.5m grants to SMSEs

The Kwara State Government has began the disbursement of N160,550,000 grants to 688 Small and Micro-Scale (SMSEs) businesses under the first tranche of the KWARA NG CARES RA3 Operational Grants.

This is contained in a statement signed by Hajiya Zainab AbdulSalam, the Lead Media Officer, KWARA NG-CARES, on Wednesday in Ilorin.

AbdulSalam said that the beneficiaries comprised 45 small scale businesses that would receive N700,000 each, and 643 micro-scale businesses that would receive N200,000 each.

The spokerperson said that the beneficiaries cut across the 16 local government areas of the state.

“General Manager of KWASSIP, Mr AbdulQuawiy Olododo, stated that the programme is a World Bank-assisted emergency recovery and intervention programme, facilitated by Kwara Government to curb the impact of COVID-19 on businesses.

“Also, to provide economic relief to business men and women and improve employment rate in the state.

“He further stated that the programme, which kicked off with disbursement of operational grant, will be followed closely by the Credit Grant and IT Enhancement Grant.

“The GM added that the programme is one of the efforts of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to improve the quality and ease of running businesses in Kwara,” AbdulSalam said.

The lead media officer said that the Acting Technical Head of NG CARES For SMSE RA3, Mrs Rukayat Yahaya, urged beneficiaries to utilise the grants in covering operational expenditures.

“Yahaya also advised the beneficiaries to keep their businesses running, as the grant was an emergency recovery fund, designed to help their businesses recover from the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

“She also stated that the operational grant will be followed by the credit grant for easing financial constraints on SMSEs and IT Enhancement Grant for upgrading their capabilities,” AbdulSalam said.

The Deputy Speaker, Kwara House of Assembly, Mr Adetiba Rafael; and the state Commissioner of Finance, Mrs Florence Oyeyemi, among other dignitaries, presented cheque to the beneficiaries.