Ebonyi State Government has released a total sum of fifty million naira loan to assist traders and other local business people in the state.
Governor Francis Nwifuru made this known on the occasion of the 63rd Independence Anniversary of Nigeria and the 27th Anniversary of the creation of Ebonyi State held at the governor’s office, Centenary City Abakaliki.
According to the governor, the loan is part of measures his administration is taking to cushion the effects of the economic challenges currently troubling the country.
His words ” Ndi Ebonyi, we are aware of the current troubling economic times in the country. We feel your pinches as well because we are in it together. As part of measures to cushion the effects of the economic challenges, I mentioned earlier in this address, that our Government released N50m loan to assist traders and local business people”.
The governor also flagged off the distribution of palliative items from his government and rebagged 10kg rice of from the National Food Security Council and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
“In addition to this, we have palliative items from both our Government, re-bagged 10kg rice of the National Food Security Council and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI). Below is the list of palliative and food items in our warehouse, ready for distribution across the 13 Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State.
“Today, we are flagging off the distribution of these palliatives and I want to assure all of you, my people, that no kobo from this fund will be misused. The items will be shared judiciously. These palliatives will be shared in a way to favour both the middle class and the poorest of the poor among us.”
“The food items include 3,200 bags of rice, 3,200 bags of beans (10kg), 3,200 bags of garri, 3,200 kegs of oil, tomatoes, packs of maggi and salt.
“Non-food items buckets, soap and detergent, cooking stove, cooking pots, cooking pots, mosquito net/4, nylon mats/4, Blankets/4, foam mattress, sewing machine, grinding machine, cassava sts, herbicide, growth enhancer, growth enhancer, knapsacks, rice seeds, herbicides 2ltrs, pesticides 1 ltr, growth enhancer, fertilizer 2ltr, pumping machines, yam seedlings, herbicides, growth enhancer and knapsacks.”
He then noted that some items like Maize and Rice that are yet to be rebagged are still in our warehouse in 100kg and 50kg respectively.
Also, Governor Nwifuru added that the state government has also procured a four (4) number of 100-seater buses for transportation of workers to their offices.
“Let me reiterate that we acknowledge the plights of the Ebonyi people, especially as it concerns the difficulty workers face in transporting themselves to work. That is why today, we have procured 4 number of 100-seater INNOSOM CNG Buses for the transportation of our workers from Abakaliki metropolis to the Airport, College of Education Ikwo, Ebonyi State University, Centenary City and other areas. We are working on getting more to suit your needs, as provided for by the Federal Government.”
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