The Bank of Industry
(BoI) and Taraba Government last Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding of N700 million to foster industrial development and promote growth through creation of jobs in the state.
The Managing Director of BoI, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, announced this in Abuja during the signing of the MoU.
He said that the bank’s partnership with the state would not be limited to financial intervention alone but to transform Nigeria’s industrial sector by providing financial and business support services to enterprises.
“The MoU will foster industrial development in Taraba State and promote inclusive growth through job and wealth creation.
“In May 2014, the state government contributed the sum of N350 million which has been matched in like sum by the BoI for the establishment of the N700 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Fund.
“ This pool of fund shall be used to provide loans to MSMEs in Taraba State.
“In this regard, the state has emerged as second state in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria to partner with the bank under the state’s matching fund scheme,’’ Olaoluwa said.
He said that the bank had already approved loans totaling N299.4 million to 18 enterprises in Taraba, adding that the enterprises were all engaged in agro processing.
Olaoluwa added that 135 direct and estimated 400 indirect jobs had been created by the enterprise that drew on the bank loans.
Gov. Darius Ishaku, in his address, said that the MoU would serve as a catalyst to the industralisation process of the state.
“It is gratifying to know that the sum of N350 million being the state’s contribution had been released to the Bank of Industry in April 2014 by Taraba State Government.
“Having fulfilled our own part of the obligation of the counterpart fund, I want to urge the bank to, as matter of urgency, commence the process of disbursement of the loan to our people.
“This loan is important to me as the beginning of the capacity building of our people to reduce unemployment and poverty.
“It is hoped that this partnership will lay the foundation that will bring about the take off of the industrial development of the state by inculcating entrepreneurship culture among the people of Taraba State,’’ Ishaku said.
Earlier, Mr Lawan Yakubu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Co-operatives and Poverty Alleviation, said that the MoU was essentially a business and development fund for Taraba indigenous entrepreneurs to engage in.
Yakubu said that the programme had been solely packaged by the government to provide financial assistance to the entrepreneurs, to accelerate the pace and promote the attainment of industrial development.
“By the MoU, the parties have agreed to contribute a matching fund of N700 million and the state has contributed its share of the counter fund.
“The stage is now set for the disbursement of the fund for our eligible entrepreneurs,’’ Yakubu said.