In fulfilment of his promises during the 4th edition of leadership and business bootcamp, the House of Representative Member, representing Ede South, Ede North, Egbdeore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Hon. Bamidele Salam empowered 105 youths in his Constituency with N30m grants.
This grants presentation held at Awo, Egbdeore LGA, on Sunday, where the beneficiaries were given cash grants, working tools to start up new and support existing businesses.
The grant presentation was a follow up of the four-day Business and Leadership Bootcamp that was held in Osogbo in March.
During the programme that has 400 participants, young entrepreneurs were asked to draft a business proposal to seek grant.
According to the Representative Salam, 205 participants sent in proposals and after thorough scrutiny, 105 proposals scaled through.
“We’ve empowered so far 1,000 persons, who have been impacted with these programmes, given of grants, funds, working tools and this is the followup of the boot camp that was held earlier in March in Osogbo.
“And in line with the promise I made there, that I was going to give capital to selected young persons, who prepared their business plans and also did a pitch of their businesses at the boot camp”, he added.
Salam reiterated that young persons are often discouraged from starting up business when there are no capitals or high interest rate from financial institutions.
“One of the major problems, young persons do have in starting any businesses or growing their business is access to capital, if you look at the regular financial institutions today, some of them take as 28% interest rate on loans, apart from having all manners of collateral.
“That’s why we are supporting them with grants to allow them to innovate ideas to practical use and start up any business idea that they have or improve on the ones they have”.
While speaking on sustainability, he said “We hope that in the nearest future we will be able to do more for youths under the BS Business and leadership programme”.
However, he encouraged the beneficiaries to be positive minded, disciplined and diligent in their businesses, adding that there are times when there will be challenges and never to give up.
He also disclosed that a monitoring and evaluation team, will be in place to monitor the affairs of the beneficiaries and also a mentoring programme to guide them in their businesses.
The Commissioner for Science and Innovation, Hon. Maruf Ayode commended the Representative for the initiative while calling on others to give back to their Constituents as a way of supporting the government.
“Empowerment, grant awarding is good, is a good stimulant to support the people in growing their businesses. If a lot of our representatives in Nigeria can be able to do this, it will help the Government”, he explained further.
In his lecture on business capital management, Dr Adebayo Taiwo Omoleye, Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Vocational Skills Development at Federal Polytechnic Ede, implored the beneficiaries to utilise the tools given to them assiduously.
The grants ranged from N200,000 to N500,000 while some business owners who requested for tools were given the item.
Some of the items given include Industry sewing machine, laptops, printer, freezer, washing machine, among others.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with our correspondent expressed gratitude to the Representative for giving them opportunity to bring their businesses to life, while explaining that they will make good use of the tools given to them, to give jobs to other people and create an enabling working environment.
