By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
At least 202 tourism entrepreneurs in Ekiti State are now smiling as Sterling Bank in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday 19 May 2021 disbursed low- interest facility loan to them.
Sterling bank on Wednesday 19 May 2021 credited the accounts of 202 tourism entrepreneurs in the state.
In a press release made available to Daybreak today from the NTDC office the loan is the 2nd phase low interest facility to 202 Tourism entrepreneurs beneficiaries in Ekiti State aimed at empowering .low cadre tourism entrepreneurs.
According to the release the loan is a Sterling Bank Tourism Development Fund Initiative, a product planted by Sterling bank and facilitated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Tourism Development, Ambassador Wale Ojo – Lanre to make fund available to tourism practitioners to boost their trade and expand their business.
At the disbursement ceremony which held at the Conference Hall of Ekiti State Ministry of Women , Prof Rasaki Ojo – Bakare, Ekiti State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, said that Governor Kayode Fayemi was keenly interested in boosting the economic activities of all stakeholders within the ambit of arts, culture tourism, hence, seeking a way of opening doors of financial platforms where the practitioners can leverage on low interest facilities.
Professor Ojo – Bakare commended Sterling Bank for its interest in the development of arts, culture and tourism sector.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the loan. adding that it would strengthen the economy of the state and boost their financial capability to expand their businesses.
He commended the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Tourism Development, Mr Wale Ojo – Lanre for his innovative tendencies at driving the tourism sector in Ekiti state not only for visibility but economic viability and lauded the synergy between the Office of the SSA Tourism Development, Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity being led by Mr Lanre Ogunjobi and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Informal Sector, Mr Oroya Aladeloye on this scheme
Mr Shina Atilola, Divisional Head of Retail Banking and Customer Banking pointed out that the soft loan scheme to tourism entrepreneurs is strategically conceived by the Managing Director of Sterling Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, to provide a platform where the low cadre tourism entrepreneurs can access fund of low interest.
He said that it was the mission of Sterling bank not only to provide the loan for the beneficiaries but also to network their services, craft items and provide to buyers and patrons.
According to Atilola, Sterling bank is focused on empowerment and enhancement of business and economic endeavours of tourism practitioners and stakeholder.
He commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for being pro-poor and pro – masses in his drive at placing the economic base of Ekiti on a sustainable pedestal by aligning it with low cadre entrepreneurs and for putting proactive and positive-minded persons attending the tourism sector.
Mr Atilola lauded the efforts of Mr Ojo- Lanre, SSA Tourism Development for his doggedness and resourcefulness by networking with Messer Lanre Ogunjobi, DG, ELP and Oroya Aladeloye, SA, Informal sector at making the scheme working and walking in Ekiti State.
He called on the beneficiaries to be faithful and prompt on repayment schedules as this would accelerate and pave the way quickly for others as the scheme targets 2000 beneficiaries in Ekiti State.
Two beneficiaries of the loan, Bola Hamzat and Eniola Eyinafe praised Governor Kayode Fayemi for networking tourism stakeholders and entrepreneurs in the state to Sterling bank and happy that the soft loan would help in creating employment opportunities in the state.
Ojo – Lanre commended the Sterling Bank team especially Mrs Abiola Adelana , Sterling Bank Tourism Desk for her goal-getting strides at pushing the tourism vision of the bank efficiently to Ekiti State.
