By Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
Delta State Government has restated its’ commitment to empower more of her people through the award winning Delta State Micro Credit Programme(DMCP) as it empowers more 1,417 persons from Ethiope East, Okpe and Uvwie Local Government Areas with a charge to judiciously make use of the funds received to grow their various small medium enterprises and cottage industries and become financially independent to contribute to the overall growth of the state in particular, and the nation’s Economy.
This was disclosed by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, governor of Delta State in Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area during disbursement and presentation of certificates to 141 groups made up of 1,417 persons drawn from Ethiope East, Okpe and Uvwie Local Government Areas. He said that the programme is open to all Deltans irrespective of party/political affiliations.
Dr. Uduaghan disclosed that since inception of the Programme in 2007, over 111.000 persons have so far benefitted, commending the women for keying into the programme and making the best use of the opportunity as well as making repayments and graduating to collect higher loans to grow their businesses. He also commended the men folk who have since join in the programme to better the lots of their families.
The governor advised clients of the programme to ensure they invest the loans collected into their various businesses stressing that the monies being given out are not hand out nor charity, he urged them to judiciously grow their business to become financially stable.
Dr. Uduaghan then called on youths of the area to imbibe the culture of hard work saying that success in life or whatever you do is the result of hard work, adding, “my advice to our youths is to be responsible and imbibe the culture of hard work as there would be no success without hard work. I enjoin you to plan and act now for a better future to be assured so that our Delta of tomorrow would be a better place for all.”
Also speaking, Prof. Amos Utuama, Deputy governor of Delta State disclosed that the disbursement ceremony was a promise kept by Dr. Uduaghan to the people of Delta state, he enjoined clients of the programme to invest wisely into their businesses and make repayments as at when due to give them the opportunity to get higher loans as well as give opportunity to others to be part of the programme put in place by the Uduaghan administration to alleviate poverty.
According to Prof. Utuama, “Governor Uduaghan has come today to fulfill his electoral promises to the people of Ethiope East, Okpe and Uvwie Local Government Areas by empowering them, the funds you are going to collect from the banks is not a donation but a loan to be repaid, it is a loan meant to assist you improve and grow your businesses to enable you live dignify lives and be independent financially.”
In her address, Dr. Anthonia Ashiedu, Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation under whose tutelage and purview the Delta State Micro Credit Programme(DMCP) has grown to win national and international laurels restates the preparedness of the programme to reach out to more Deltans as Delta State Government under the leadership of Dr. Uduaghan is now prepared more than ever before to empower more people.
Dr. Ashiedu then called on clients to be more committed to the growth of their various businesses, make repayment as at when due to qualify them for higher loans. She said that the Uduaghan administration has been using the programme to better the lots of Deltans, the Commissioner then enjoined the people to spread the gospel of the programme to others.
One of the clients who simply gave her name as Mrs. Ogheneovo stated that; God will bless Governor Uduaghan for making life better for us. I don’t know where me and my family would have been today without the assistant from Governor Uduaghan and Mrs. Anthonia Ashiedu; hunger would have killed us by now but God has used Governor Uduaghan and Mrs. Ashiedu to lift us up.”
