As part of efforts to scale up economic activities in Warri South Local Government Area, the chairman of the council, Dr Michael Tidi, on Tuesday, through its maiden Enterprise and Empowerment programme, empowered 250 small scale entrepreneurs to help boost their business.
Out of the 250 beneficiaries, 50 of them were given Point of Sale (POS) machines and a token of 70 thousand naira each to enable them start up the business.
The remaining 200 beneficiaries were given cheques of a 100 thousand each to inject into their already existing businesses.
Tidi, while speaking during the occasion, said The beneficiaries / recipients were drawn from the National Social Register of Delta State through the Community Based Targeting (CBT) identifying the poor and vulnerable in the communities of Warri South Local Government Area.
He said the gesture became necessary after his administration has provided the infrastructural platform for the development of Warri and for commerce to thrive.
“This is the brainchild of the first and and second Warri Economic Summit where his Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and some economic eggheads and industry personnel, were present. Part of the recommendation is what we are gradually implementing here today.
“You and I know that the progress or anchor of any economic progress is the SMEs. This is SME acceleration in every sense of the word.
“This Economic Empowerment programme is a response to the observed deficiencies in the capital base on small scale business operators and lack of investment in human capital development at the grass root resulting to uneven distribution of resources to the poor and vulnerable,” Tidi said.
He added that the empowerment was in line with His Excellency’s Youth Empowerment Programme which is focused on human development programmes wherein some small scale business operators in the LGA, who are at the bottom of economic pyramid were identified for inclusion to access Micro Credit towards boosting their businesses.
“I wish to thank my mentor, the amiable governor of Delta State Sen (Dr,) Ifeayin Okowa for his various youth empowerment programme at the state level. The youth development programmes of the state Governor have been described as unprecedented and phenomenal. His Youth empowermen programmes are what we have keyed into by this empowerment of small scale business operators,” Tidi said.
Tidi added that the programme, which is the maiden edition in the history of the council, would come up again in no distant time, but stressed that “continuity of this empowerment would be determined by how judicious and efficient the recipients today would put the resources to use.
“We will be encouraged to do more when we observe that recipients are committed to their business. Remember, the council has the details of all the recipients as such, would be monitoring the extent to which this opportunity will be utilised by the beneficiaries.
“Possibly, in the subsequent empowerment programme some of them who will distinguish themselves would be invited for brief recognition. It is hoped that this empowerment programme will rejuvenate the spirit of commerce in the Local Government Area,” Tidi said.
He noted that the programme has nothing to do with elections but it was rather strictly need based, adding that the 250 million naira injected into the economy through the programme would drive the economy.
He recalled that at the inception of his administration he had embarked on the rehabilitation of existing boreholes within the council and other projects which includes provision of solar light, provision of furniture to some schools, renovation of schools, rehabilitation of roads, Construction of a befitting Chairman’s Residential Quarters and many more projects.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to our Correspondent, commended the Warri South chairman, assuring that they will put the money to judicious use.
Some notable dignitaries who graced the programme included, Chief Divine Iniovosa, Vice Chairman of Warri South, representative of the Olu of Warri, Chief Omolubi Newuwumi, representation of the Ovie of Agbara Warri kingdom, Chief Francis Okpejewu, representative of the member representing Warri South constituency 1, Hon Augustine Uroye, Mr Patrick Oneyo.
Others are; representative of the member representing Warri South constituency 11, Hon Matthew Opuoru, Warri South PDP Chairman, Mr Johnson Agbeyegbe, Political Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Hon Omimi Esquire, Hon Jackson Omatsola, Mr Victor Agbetiniuero, Mr Amah Agbajor, Deacon Erebor Wealth-Lori, amongst others.
