By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State Government has launched the disbursement of N50,000 grant each for no fewer than 4,000 artisans to support their businesses and strengthen the local economy.
Speaking at the launch on Thursday in Ilorin, the state capital, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said the programme is one of his administration’s initiative to support local industries, talents and SMEs to grow, thereby preventing job export, reducing poverty rate and strengthening local economy.
He said: “Before our administration in 2019, Kwara State did not have any structured and legally backed initiative to encourage and support local industries, self-employment, petty trading, and reduce poverty.
“History bears us witness that we are doing that already through the Kwara State Social Investment Programme. We will not drop the ball.”
The administration had in 2020 contracted the production of 500,000 facemasks to the state branch of the Nigerian Tailoring Union to curb the spread of COVID 19, apart from several other supports so far extended to the group.
AbdulRazaq said the artisans are the custodians of various skills and key drivers of sustainable economic growth, adding their inclusion in the intervention would help to encourage skills development and grow the economy, urging the beneficiaries to make good use of the grant for good impacts on the society.
The Acting General Manager for KWASSIP, AbdulQuowiyu Olododo, for his part, said 4,000 artisans were carefully selected from 13,000 applicants across the 16 local governments, calling it another giant step toward eradicating poverty in the state.
President, State Artisans Congress, Alhaji Jimoh Adeshina, appreciated the Governor for his leadership style and how he has been supporting the local artisans in various ways, saying the current grant of N50,000 each for 4,000 artisans was unique and would make a great impact in the lives of the recipients.
Adeshina said Kwara artisans cannot quantify the large impacts of support they are getting from the administration, alluding to various programmes that so far benefitted his members.