Gombe State Government says it has disbursed N2 million soft loans to 200 women to encourage growth of Small ans Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).
Mrs Naomi Joel, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, stated this at the inauguration of the loan disbursement exercise on Tuesday in Gombe.
Joel disclosed that the facility was initiated in collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), to empower women for sustainable development.
She said that the facility was part of the state governments’ effort in collaboration with NDE to empower women economically, to enable them to exploit their full potential and live more productive life.
“Women are in need of empowerment to boast their petty businesses, become self-reliant, assist their children and entire home,’’ Joel said.
Also speaking, Mr Mustapha Hassan, NDE Coordinator in the state, said the loan was disbursed under the Directorate’s Micro Enterprise Enhancing Scheme (MEES).
Hassan explained that it was a 12 months interest free facility designed to help petty women traders to boast their businesses.
The coordinator added that the beneficiaries were drawn from the 11 local government areas of the state.
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs Esther Daniel and Maimuna Idi, lauded the gesture, adding that it would go a long way to improve their social and economic well being.
Idi also promised to ensure effective utilisation of the money to engage in productive activities. (NAN)
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