The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed that it has made a target for up to 1.4 million Nigerians who would be benefitting for the second phase of the newly instated government Empowerment and Enterprises Program, GEEP, loan.
Sadiya Umar Faruk who is the Nigerian Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management had also made this announcement on Thursday as well during the official flag-off of the program which had been held in Dutse, which is the state capital of the state.
Read Also: ASUU-FG Face-Off: Why CONUA, NAMDA Are Illegal — Falana
Represented by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Nasiru Sani Gwarzo, she had also revealed that the program is in line with the Federal Government’s effort to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
According to him “when President Muhammadu Buhari took over the mantle of leadership in 2015, over 70 percent of Nigerians were living at poverty level”
“Out of concern and determination to change the negative narration, the president established the Social Intervention Program (SIP) under which a series of empowerment and intervention programs were initiated and implemented to tackle the challenges.”
Mrs. Sadiya Faruq explained that the targeted beneficiaries in the second phase will receive N50,000 each as a loan to enhance their small-scale trade.
“Over 6,000 beneficiaries have already been accredited in Jigawa State as beneficiaries of the GEEP program,” she said.
She had also charged the beneficiaries, to be as determined and self-disciplined as possible when they get to utilize and paying the loan.
In another report, in a bid to weaken the influence of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government of Nigeria, on Tuesday, registered two unions in the university system.
The unions are the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, made this known while speaking during the presention of the certificates of registration to the two unions explained that the two bodies will exist alongside ASUU.