SAHARANEWS – Vice-President professor Yemi Osinbajo has said that every Nigerian deserves to be rich, while admonishing the about 3,000,000 beneficiaries of TraderMoni scheme to pay back the loan as scheduled.
The Vice-President, who was accompanied by Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, stated that he was in the market to assess how the loan was being executed and to ensure that more persons are being registered on the programme.
According to him, the idea for the extension of the federal government’s MarketMoni/Tradermoni to all the states of the federation is to make sure that the empowerment initiative of the present administration reaches all nooks and crannies of the country.
He said the collateral-free loan, which was dispensed through the Bank of Industry, is part of the Federal Government’s National Social Investment Programme under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme meant to reinforce the Federal Government’s commitment to bridge the credit gap and empower Nigerians.
“Every Nigerian has the right to be rich and even very rich,” the vice president says.
He disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that more funds should be committed to the scheme and that the period of disbursement should be extended.
He continued, “We want to assure you that we are going to do more, as President Muhammadu Buhari has directed us to expand the scheme so that those who have not benefited from the TraderMoni and MarketMoni will also benefit.
“It is very important to pay back the money, so that the scheme will work effectively,” he added.
Earlier, Nasarawa state Governor, Abdullahi Sule, had called on beneficiaries to use the money judiciously to expand their businesses and to also employ others.
On her part the Executive Director, Bank of Industry, Micro- Enterprise, Mrs. Toyin Adeniji, said everyone that registered for the loan would get the money.
She said about 3,000 persons across Keffi, Toto and Akwanga local government areas of the state had been registered for the scheme in the last three days.