Ogun Govt Begins Disbursement Of 2nd Phase Of COVID-19 N1Bn Grant To MSEs On Tuesday

          

Ogun State Government has concluded arrangements for holding of its second phase of the disbursement of the N1 billion grant to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), beginning from this Tuesday, 21st of November, 2023 in Abeokuta, the State capital 

The initiative which aims at alleviating poverty and mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on businesses in the State will capture those in Ogun Central Senatorial Districts.

       

The State  Commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment and a member of the Ogun State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (OGUN CARES) Steering Committee, Mr. Adebola Sofela, in a statement made available to Edu-Biznews on Monday, announced that Governor Dapo Abiodun had directed the immediate disbursement of the grant to the beneficiaries.

          

He said a stakeholder engagement session would be held for legitimate business owners in the Ogun Central Senatorial District at the Obas’ Complex Hall, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, this  Tuesday by 10: 00 am to kick-start the second phase.

The objective of the sessions, according to the Commissioner, is to provide participants with information about the application process and criteria for eligibility.

          

Sofela added that the date and time for the stakeholder engagement sessions in Ogun West and East Senatorial Districts would be communicated at a later date.

          

He said in the first batch, over N120 million was disbursed by the State government to more than 1,000 Micro and Small Entrepreneurs across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State, with the beneficiaries expressing their gratitude in an appreciation letter addressed to the Governor.

         

"We believe that this grant will provide much-needed relief to businesses in our State. We appreciate your continued support and encourage you to stay informed about future updates regarding the disbursement process", Sofela stated 

The Commissioner said that representatives of benefiting Trade Associations including the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Joint National Association of Persons Living With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Artisans Groups, and Market Men and Women, all commended Governor Abiodun for his support during the challenging time, as they appreciated the disbursement of the fund which addressed  the significant increase in operational expenses and the struggle to pay workers' salaries, as well as the costs of operational gadgets, utilities, and renting shops.