By Awayi.kuje (NAN)
The National Directorate of Employment ( NDE), has disbursed the sum of N4.56million loan to 228 artisans in Nasarawa state.
Mr Chris Bamsida, NDE Coordinator in the state said this during the disbursement of Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme (MEES) loan to the artisans on Tuesday in Lafia.
Bamsida said the objective of the MEES loan disbursement was to empower graduate artisans to enable them to expand their businesses and output, thereby creating wealth.
According to him, the occasion is one of the strategies of the Directorate to achieve her vision of Jobs For All in the state.
He explained that each of the benefitting artisan would receive the sum of N20,000 under MEES programme.
” I want to emphasise that the MEES disbursement is a Loan and not Grants. You have to pay back accordingly.
” This is to enable you qualify for other schemes and benefits of the Directorate, and as well pave way for other willing artisans to have access to similar considerations and favours of the Directorate.
” The loan will have a moratorium of three (3) months before paying back and it will last for two (2) years,” he said.
Bamsida appreciated Gov. Abdullahi Sule for making the state secure for the Directorate to realise its mandate.
He also thanked the Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo for considering the state for implementation of the scheme.
The state coordinator called for more collaboration with the state government to facilitate jobs creation, reduce poverty and unemployment in the state.
Also speaking, Mr Hassan Shuaibu-Gimba, Head of Department, Small Scale Enterprises Department and Mr Gabriel Ochai, NDE Loan Officer, urged the beneficiaries to use the loan for the purpose it was meant.
They commended NDE’s director general and Nasarawa State Coordinator for their efforts towards achieving the mandate of the Directorate.
Responding on behalf of the artisans, Mrs Chinenye Okeke, appreciated the NDE for the gesture and called for its sustenance.
Okeke has assured of judicious use of the loan in order to improve on their standard of living ( NAN)