The National Directorate for Employment (NDE) has disbursed N4.56m to 228 artisans in Nasarawa state.
The coordinator, Mr. Chris Bamsida, stated this Tuesday, during the disbursement of Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme loan (MEES) in Lafia, the state capital.
He said each of the successful artisans will receive N20, 000 of the MEES loan.
He added that the objective of the MEES disbursement was to empower graduate artisans to expand their businesses and their output.
“This is also to enhance the businesses of the artisans and thereby increase their wealth as well as increase the number of persons employable by their businesses.
“I want to emphasise that the MEES disbursement is loan and not grant. You have to pay back,” he said.
He stated further that the loan will have a moratorium of three months before paying back and it will last for two years, so as to pave way for other willing artisans to have access to similar consideration of the directorate.
The coordinator appreciated governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule, for making the state secure money for the directorate to realise its mandate and also called for collaboration with the state government to facilitate job creation, reduce poverty and unemployment amongst women and youth in the state.
