Kwara state governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq Thursday launched the disbursement of N50,000 grant each for at least 4000 Kwara artisans to support their businesses and strengthen the local economy.
AbdulRazaq said the artisans are the custodians of various skills and key drivers of sustainable economic growth, adding that their inclusion in the intervention will help to encourage skills development and grow the economy
Speaking at the launch in Ilorin, the state capital, AbdulRazaq said, “This programme is one of our initiatives to support local industries, talents and SMEs to grow. This prevents job export, strengthens the local economy, reduces poverty rate, and improves living standards in the state,” AbdulRazaq said at the launch in Ilorin, the state capital.
“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.
The acting general manager for KWASSIP, AbdulQuowiyu Olododo, on 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, said the current grant of N50,000 each for 4000 artisans was unique and will make a great impact in the lives of the recipients.
“We should be thankful to God for the gift of governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq. The governor has fulfilled all his promises he made to Kwara artisans during the 2019 campaigns. Importantly, the governor fulfilled his promise to patronize us if elected to power,” he said.
