No fewer than 5,000 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) are exspected to benefit from the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) Programme, Result Area 3 Platform, in Kebbi State.
Dr Abba Sani-Kalgo, the state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, stated this at the inauguration of one-day training exercise of field agents to fast track implementation of the programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise was organised by the Kebbi State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Sani-Kalgo said the CARES programme was designed to stimulate economic activities targeting SMEs directly or indirectly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the programme was being implemented by World Bank in collaboration with the Federal Government through the Bank of Industry (BoI).
“The training is meant to educate field agents who are to register beneficiaries of the programme.
“Therefore, I want to urge the participants to comprehend the lessons taught during the workshop in order to effectively carryout their assigned responsibilities,” he said.
In her remarks, Rukayya Muhammad-Bawa, Coordinator, CARES Programme in the state, said that about 50 of the 200 participants would be selected to conduct the enrollment exercise for the beneficiaries.
She urged the participants to pay attention and understand the concept of the training to excel during the test.
Also Speaking, CARES Result Area 3 Platform, Manager, Malam Danladi Aliyu-Dabai said that each of the benefiting SMEs would received financial assistance ranging between N50,000 and above.
Aliyu-Dabai said that the grant would be determined by the type of business of the beneficiaries.
While commending the Federal and Kebbi State Government for their commitment to the programme, Aliyu-Dabai urged the participants to use the knowledge gained during the training exercise to boost their businesses.
On his part, Mr Clechi Eke, representative of the BoI, said the training exercise was designed to expose the field agents with the requisite skills on data capturing.
According to him, the bank will continue to provide support in the delivery of the grants to the organisations affected by the pandemic. (NAN)
