Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry,Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), has trained over four hundred Abians on Entrepreneurship Development, making them eligible for the CBN/ NIRSAL Loan scheme for Small and Medium Enterprises.
Presenting the training Certificates to the AGSMEIS Loan Applicants at the ACCIMA Secretariat,Aba, the ACCIMA President, Sir Lawrence Obetta JP, congratulated the applicants for going through the five days Entrepreneurship programme,which he said would help them in accessing funds that could assist them in starting up or enhancing their business, provide employments for people in Enyimba city and Abia at large,as well as put food on their table.
Sir Obetta said the Loan scheme is solely met for those in the production line like Agro business, fashion,design,media, construction among others, adding that anyone going into buying and selling is not qualified for the facility.He informed the applicants that the loan is at single digit interest with seventy five (75) percent equipment financing.
He said the Federal Government introduced the CBN/ NIRSAL platform to create opportunity for those who want to start or enhance their business,thereby creating employment window and boosting the economy.
Obetta enjoined the applicants to follow squarely all the processes outlined in getting the loan facility,so that they would not be screened out in any way.
He said the AGSMEIS Loan scheme is trusted and reliable,as nobody that goes through the scheme is left without the loan facility, adding that already, over #1 billion has been disbursed to Abia State for those who applied last year and the early part of 2020.
The ACCIMA boss assured that every applicant would get the loan,as long as it would be used veritably.
He further disclosed that ACCIMA is on top of its game as an EDI, in ensuring that all the applicants that passed through it,get their loan in due time.
Obetta, however,urged the applicants to use wisely the loan facility when given to them and avoid using it for other frivolities.
He further thanked the CBN and NIRSAL Management,for their tireless efforts in making sure that the loan facility come fully, adding that the outbreak of the Covid 19 slowed the pace of the loan process, advising they step up in their pace since the covid 19 spread has reduced.
Meanwhile,the ACCIMA president reminded the applicants not to relent in observing the Covid 19 protocol,as the deadly virus has not been contained completely.
In his address, Chairman ACCIMA/ NIRSAL Training Committee, Engr Cletus Ekpo, disclosed the authenticity of the platform, urging the participants to take every of the process in getting the loan facility seriously, adding that the loan is only meant for Artisans, Technicians, Manufacturers, among others.
Responding on behalf of the participants,the Assistant Coordinator of Batch 4, Mr Uche Okorie,thanked ACCIMA for organising the training,which he said would better their lot in the long run, pleading for more assistance to be given to them especially in the area of Agriculture,for those of them going into Agro business.
