Society
Gov Eno Says N2B Interest-Free Loan To Traders Will Be Use For Other Projects If Not Accessed In 90 Days
regretted that till date, none of the traders have accessed the funds
By Charles Akpan
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has threatened to redeploy the N2billion Interest-free loan to traders announced in March 2024 at the lauch of the free food voucher programme for the vulnerable and the needy, if the money is not accessed by intended beneficiaries within the next 90 days.
It could be recalled that the Governor while announcing the financial intervention at the popular Itam Market in Itu Local Government Area to Akwa Ibom traders, directed the funds be managed by the Ibom Fadama Micro Finance Bank.
The announcement followed complaints received by the Governor that some traders were securing loans for their businesses with high interest rates, a development that prompted him to release five hundred million Naira Interest-free-loans to each of the three senatorial districts to help traders and their businesses.
Addressing a stakeholders meeting at Government House, Uyo recently, the Governor regretted that till date, none of the traders have accessed the funds. He threatened to redirect the money to other projects if the traders failed to access the funds in ninety days.
“That money has been there at the Accountant General’s office and ninety days from today, we will send it to any other place”, he stated.
Governor Eno charged his Senior Special Assistant on Trade and Market Matters Mr. Idorenyin Raphael to immediately liaise with the SSG, Prince Enobong Uwah to get the money out of the system.
“We have announced a two billion Naira Interest-free loan to our traders and up till now, nobody has accessed that money because of their in-house problems and of course, let me also say it here that in the next ninety days if you do not use the money, we will use it for something else. Money appreciates, I cannot set aside money forever, “he declared.
“We have also given money even to our non-indigenes, the Arewa community, Yoruba, Igbo, Niger Delta communities, but we are waiting for the modality to disburse. Under my watch people will be engaged
