Beneficiaries Share Testimonies from FG’s MSME Survival Fund in South-south

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

Beneficiaries of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Survival Fund in the South-south region yesterday commended the federal government for relieving them of the hardship brought by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The beneficiaries at a town hall meeting in Benin-city, Edo State, also described the programme as lives-saving.

The Chairman of the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Edo State chapter, Mr. Sylvester Obaweki, said more than 95 per cent of the members that applied for their funds received them.

Obaweki, whose members stormed the venue of the meeting in appreciation of the financial succour, recounted how the funds sustain their businesses.

The ACOMORAN leader said the members, who benefited from the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), would ever remain grateful to the government.

Also, in his testimonies, the Proprietor of Ogboro Computer Academy in Benin-city, Sunday Ogboro, said the government helped to pay four of his five staff members for three months under the payroll support track.

Jeff Obaseki-Obasogie, who spoke on behalf of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), also applauded the initiative of the government, but, however, sought an improvement so that many could also benefit from it.

Earlier in her address, the Chairman, Steering Committee, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise.(MSME) Survival Fund, Mariam Katagum, disclosed that a total number of 203,537 benefitted from the various tracks under the scheme in the South-south region.

According to her, “In the South-south region, the following statistics were achieved: Payroll Support Scheme, 74,030; MSME Grant Scheme, 13,899; Artisan and Transport Scheme, 73,161; CAC Formalisation Support scheme, 39,636; and Guaranteed Offtake Scheme, 2,811.”

She claimed that over N66 billion was disbursed to the beneficiaries across the country, adding that under the first scheme, employees received between N30,000 and N50,000 as three months’ salaries, while beneficiaries in the second one-off got N30,000 grant.

Katagum further explained that 250,000 businesses successfully registered under the third scheme, with a one-off N50,000 grant given to MSMEs under the fourth scheme.

In his remark, Special Assistant on MSME and Project Coordinator of the Survival Fund, Mr. Tola Johnson, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the scheme.