5,000 register for COVID-19 Delta CARES programme – Official
More than 5,000 persons have been registered for financial grant under the Delta COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (Delta CARES) programme,
Mrs Susan Omiete,of Growth and Operations Department, Bank of Industry, told journalists on Thursday in Asaba that the prospective beneficiaries were registered across all the 25 local government areas of the state.
Omiete said that the verification exercise, which began on Thursday in Asaba, would hold simultaneously in Agbor and Ogwashi-Uku, in Ika North East and Aniocha South local government areas respectively.
She explained that the bank was working in collaboration with the state government to provide support for MSMEs and empower them to start their businesses again.
According to her, the programme, which is an offshoot of the Federal Government’s own, is being sponsored by World Bank and Bank of Industry.
“The programme is aimed at reviving micro and medium enterprises that were negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
Omiete said that the initiative was geared towards reviving and re-awakening small scale industries so that they could come back on stream, particularly with financial aid.
“A few weeks ago, the state government, in collaboration with Bank of Industry, trained 200 enumerators who would assist in identifying the small and micro enterprises for the purpose of boosting their performances with financial grant.
“Eligibility criteria were put in place to guide the enumerators on who is qualified to be enlisted into the programme,” she said.
Omiete also said that those who were invited for the physical verification at the various centres across the state had been registered, adding that their information were already in the Delta CARES data base.
“So when we verify their businesses, it will determine the amount of money we will disburse to them.
“So far, we have more than 5,000 persons across the 25 local government areas of the state,” she said.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, Mrs Orezi Esievo, said that the grant was secured by the state government.
