by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Adamawa State Government has flagged-off N50,000 Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment, with 10,000 persons to benefit from the programme.
The State Governor, Amadu Umaru Fintiri, made this known at Mahmud Ribadu Square. While addressing the beneficiaries, Fintiri said the 50,000 Naira each will be disbursed to the 10,000 beneficiaries through the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA) as a significant milestone of his government’s commitment to uplifting the socio-economic status of the people and fostering inclusive growth across all sectors of the economy.
According to him, his government has recognized that “micro-businesses form the nucleus of our local communities; hence, the government’s deliberate attempts to explore the aspect so as to encourage self-reliance and creating employment opportunities to the overall prosperity of our people and our dear state.
“My decision to allocate these cash grants stems from our unwavering dedication to alleviating poverty and empowering our entrepreneurs to thrive in a competitive marketplace.
“My provision of this direct financial assistance to 10,000 micro-business owners, we aim to catalyze their growth, enhance their productivity, and enable them to scale-up their ventures to new heights,” Fintiri said.
He assured the people of the state for more humanitarian empowerment and training, adding that, “The empowerment was in line with our governance philosophy of ensuring that ‘no one is left behind and nothing is left untouched.’ This event is one in the series of our efforts at changing the fortune of our people is especially in this economically trying time.”
According to him, they are mindful of the challenges faced by micro-business owners – from limited access to capital, to lack of resources and infrastructure – that, these cash grants are not merely handouts but strategic investments in the future of Adamawa State.
The governor commended the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and PAWECA for the pivotal role in accomplishing and achieving the ideals and fundamental objectives of the government’s deliberate policies.
The PAWECA is an agency under the State Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development. It has been doing a lot in the implementation of the Governor’s 8-point Agenda, especially in the aspect of poverty alleviation and skill training programmes towards self realization and economic development.
Speaking earlier, the State Commissioner of Entrepreneurship Development, James Iliya, who described today’s programme as “huge success,” however, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to utilize the grants judiciously so as to encourage the government to do more.