The minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHADMSD), Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, has commended the Bank of Industry (BOI) for the effective coordination of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) across the country.
Farouq made the commendation Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of BOI, where she was briefed on the various processes of GEEP by Chief Operation Officer in the National Social Investment Office, Mr Uzoma Nwagba, while she also inspected the centre.
She said: “GEEP is designed for economically active Nigerians to build their lives economically and we are impressed with the partnership with BOI. From what I saw here today, BOI is playing its role seriously and I must say that I am very impressed.
“I know Mrs Maryam Uwais has put in a lot in this. We are very proud of BOI and the team that put up this centre. There is a lot of technical work behind the scene: I must commend you, and I want to use this opportunity to reiterate President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.”
Also speaking, Chairman Governing Board of BOI, Mr Dikko Abdulrahaman,
said that Farouq did well at the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and has transferred the same zeal and dedication to duty to the MHADMSD.
“The BOI is pleased to work with the MHADMSD to achieve the next level agenda of President Buhari. With Farouq’s same commitment and dedication at the commission in the new ministry, I have no doubt in my mind that the target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty would be achieved,” he said.
GEEP is a social investment initiative of the federal government executed by the BOI, under three sub-programmes including the Tradermoni, Marketmoni and Farmermoni; where zero collateral loans, ranging from N10,000 to N30,000, are given to MSMEs operators as part of poverty eradication effort.
However, high point of the event was when the minister led a delegation of dignitaries to visit the more than 2,000 of the three-month N-power Tech Software beneficiaries at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) in Kubwa, where she expressed satisfaction with the condition of living of the beneficiaries; after a thorough inspection of the hostels, classes and other facilities.
