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Cross Riverians seeking capital to fund a business idea and money to expand an existing business now have a golden opportunity through the Asuquo Ekpenyong Foundation (AEF) in collaboration with the NIRSAL Bank’s approved Entrepreneurhip Development Institute, Moure Consult in the Agric Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, AGSMEIS, established by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, as an empowerment programme which also benefits all age categories willing to get into agriculture or any other small and medium scale business.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr Emmanuel.
According to him Cross Riverians can access a soft loan facility to the tune of N10 million. The loan covers all categories of small and medium enterprises, yet the most interesting part is that the recipients have seven years to pay back the loan and at a concessionary five per cent (5%) interest rate. He commended the applicants for their coordination through out the training exercise while urging them to efficiently utilize the cash when it comes in.
The Cross River State Commissioner of Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr the trustee of the foundation who closed the training said 1,000 Cross Riverians will benefit from the first phase of the loan.
He revealed that all that is required is for interested persons to apply and attend the 3 day training for free as the foundation have paid the training fees for all trainees which also covers lunch for the training days, venue and resource persons as well as facilitation fees for application assistance as well as business plan development to facilitate access to the grants.
He said selection process was done by the Consultants who made open the applications to everyone across the 18 LGAs of CRS without interference from any Political class.
Mr Ekpenyong poured encomium on the participants and prospective beneficiaries for taking the training very serious and making Cross River State a shining star among other states.
Asuquo said “give a man a fish and he will feed his family for a day, but teach a man to fish and he will feed his family in perpetuity”
Speaking with newsmen, the Chief Facilitator of the training, Mr Omotayo Omolade said the Entrepreneurship Training programme has been designed to take your business to greater heights, and if you’re a start-up, the information you’ll get will give you a very comfortable footing to start your business. So, you have no reason to miss this great opportunity.”
The Lead Facilitator from Moure Consult, Mr Muhammed Tahir disclosed that many Nigerians are already benefiting from the loan facility while lauding the Cross River participants to have been the most well behaved and well coordinated across the country so far.
Highlight of the event was presentation of Certificates to trainees by the Honorable Commissioner For Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong.
