The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday gave N200 million in support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Bayelsa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UNDP team leader, Joyce Oboro, presented the cheque to Governor Douye Diri at the Government House in Yenagoa.
According to Oboro, the objective of the initiative, co-sponsored by the European Union, is to mitigate the effects of the current socio-economic challenges through the empowerment of medium and small businesses across various sectors.
She said the components of the programme include financial support and capacity building, while the cluster-based approach would be adopted to achieve set objectives.
Expressing optimism that the project would stimulate economic growth and improve the standard of living of Bayelsa people, Oboro urged well-meaning groups and individuals to key into the project.
Diri, while welcoming the partnership between the government and UNDP to develop MSMEs in the state, said his administration was already doing a lot to develop and support the sector.
He said that in line with the prosperity mantra of his administration, the government had trained many residents and empowered them with starter packs.
“In Bayelsa, we started a programme three years ago and gave out grants to encourage small businesses.
“We paid N200,000 each to 420 SMEs monthly across the 105 wards in the state until the end of our first tenure. Now we want to evaluate the level of success of the scheme,” he said.
He assured the UNDP delegation that the state would play its role in the partnership, insisting that it would take whatever would add value to the lives of the people of Bayelsa seriously.
The state helmsman equally acknowledged the support of the UNDP when Bayelsa battled a terrible flood in 2022, describing the organisation as a true friend of the state.
“For us as an administration, our mantra has been shared prosperity. Our people have to prosper in all aspects of their lives. So, we are very happy to meet development-oriented organisations like yours.
“Let me acknowledge the UNDP for its support to our people during the flood in 2022. We have been partners.
“Going forward, I believe we will have a robust relationship with you. We are very well prepared to partner and play our role to ensure we attract whatever is due to us.
“It is good to build other infrastructure but the human beings to manage them is more important.
“That is why, as a government, we are taking it seriously and I believe that this is one partnership that will bring succour to our people.” (NAN)
