The Anambra state government through Anambra Small Business Agency (ASBA) has introduced a soft business loan package to workers within the state to cushion the harsh economic realities in the nation occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
This was disclosed during a sensitization meeting organised by the agency held
at the office of the Head of Service hall, Chief Jerome Udorji Secretariat Complex, Awka.
Addressing the workers, the Head of Service, Barrister Okwy Igwegbe encouraged Civil Servants within the state to avail themselves the opportunity to raise working capital for small and micro businesses.
Barrister Igwegbe urged Civil Servants to form themselves into ten member cooperative societies which is a requisite for the soft with low interest loan.
She reminded the workers that the package was designed by the Governor Chukwuma Soludo to further improve the welfare of workers and thanked the governor for the gesture shown to workers especially at this critical times while promising that her office would ensure that every certification and verification necessary for workers would be done judiciously so as to enable proper loan recovery.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Anambra Small Business Agency (ASBA), Sir Clem Chukwuka while introducing the ‘ASBA Civil Service Solution, Soft Loan Empowerment Program’ described the programme as a life saver for Civil Servants.
Mr. Chukwuka explained that the loan which was only on 9% interest rate as against the 25-30% interest rate loans which workers access from other financial companies remained the most flexible at this times.
The ASBA boss encouraged workers to access funds to help them in developing farms and other micro businesses which could augment their income and Help them secure a happy retirement.
He explained that since the loan was on indemnity, clearance must be gotten from the office of the Head Departments of all the individual members forming co-operative societies , and the debt profiles of such individuals must be analyzed before funds are released to the cooperative society for onward distribution amongst themselves.
Mr. Chukwuka also reminded the workers drawn from the twenty ministries that the loan would not be for frivolity rather for investment and only workers who still have up to 2 years before retirement would be eligible for the empowerment loan.
He praised the governor for remaining stedfast to his promises of alleviating poverty from the state, noting that this programme as designed would also in time trickle down to other persons in Anambra who are not civil servants.
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