The Federal Government Saturday launched the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP 2.0) in Abia to assist the poor and vulnerable persons.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, launched the national phase of the programme in Umuahia.
The minister, represented by Mrs Nkechi Onwukwe, Director, Special Needs in the ministry, said that the programme was designed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to cater for the vulnerable and low-income Nigerians.
According to her, it is meant for those who are involved in some commercial activities but had no access to loans.
She said that the programme was meant to give priority to the most vulnerable
in society, such as widows, youth, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons, amongst others.
The minister said: “GEEP is captured in three signature schemes, namely the TraderMoni loan of N50,000, for the under-privileged and marginalised youths between 18 and 40 years.
“MarketMoni, an empowerment programme designed for under-privileged and marginalised women as well as vulnerable groups.
“Then FarmerMoni loan scheme, designed to provide agricultural inputs worth upto N300,000 to rural farmers.”
Farouq said that at least 20,722 potential beneficiaries were registered in the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia.
She said that 4,144 of them were selected after verification.
According to her, the beneficiaries will start receiving credit alert from Access Bank with the inauguration of the programme in the state.
She said that the programme was a consolidation of the National Social Investment Programme of the present administration.
The Federal Government also launched the disbursement of grants of N20,000 each to 3,107 beneficiaries across the 17 council areas under its Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) programme.
