From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

 Ahead of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultral Lending (NIRSAL) loans for beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), the office has commenced training programme for effective use of the loans.

This is even as it has warned against any form of diversion noting that it would be not be tolerated under any circumstance.

 

The PAP office announced that the first phase of the training, which had 60 youths in attendance, has already kicked off in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

 

The Interim Administrator, PAP, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd) disclosed that 3000 entrepreneurs had opportunities to benefit from the loans to expand their businesses.

 

Dikio who was Special Adviser on Project, Godwin Ekpo while explaining that NIRSAL would select 30 youths for the pilot survey of the loan initiative after the trainings, stressed that PAP was only acting as a guide to give qualified entrepreneurs from the region an opportunity to access the loans.

 

He pointedly told the ex-agitators that the loans were not bazaars and should be paid back when obtained within the terminal period to enable NIRSAL extend the gesture to others.

 

“NIRSAL is supporting the SMEs with soft loans to enable them expand their businesses. As PAP, our vision is to help our delegates become entrepreneurs and/or employable citizens contributing to the economy. So, we look out for opportunities where they can access some level of funding to take their businesses to the next level.

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“We have other people that will be joining after this; this is just a pilot scheme.  The partnership is one that will grow and we have a larger number. It must be stated again, that this is not a grant; these are low interest loans, single digit with no collateral that will be paid back after a while. The tenure of repayment and other conditions are stated in the papers they will sign.

 

“We hope that these delegates will become more successful entrepreneurs in future as a result of this funding.  Some of them are into agriculture, small scale businesses and we hope this fund will help them expand”.

 

In his remarks, the lead consultant, Paul Tyokosu, said the essence of the training was to enable the entrepreneurs have access to funding and skills to promote their businesses.

 

He asked the trainees to think of farming, agro-businesses and other agricultural value chain to expand their businesses and create more employment opportunities.

 

“This is designed to boost your capacity to grow your business. When you expand your business, you will help solve the problem of unemployment. Always ensure that your income is more than your liabilities”, he said.