Foundation Empowers 402 Traders With N42m

The Saliu Mustapha Foundation has empowered 402 Kwara State residents on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise as part of its annual empowerment scheme.
The Founder and Sole Financier of the foundation, Malam Saliu Mustapha, who said this on Monday at the empowerment programme in Ilorin, said over N42 million was spent on the programme.
Reports says that the programme is to help petty traders to scale-up their businesses which were affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
Mustapha, who was represented by the Director General of the foundation, Alhaji Adebayo Ambali, said it also assisted some indigents to ameliorate the economic hardship facing them.
Mustapha disclosed that the beneficiaries collected between N50,000 and N500,000.
“The annual empowerment scheme was aimed to lift the poor out of poverty and empower unemployed youths across the three senatorial districts of the state devoid of party affiliation,” Mustapha said.
The state Chairman of the APC, Mr Bashir Bolarinwa, described the empowerment scheme as a welcome development now that the outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively affected the nation’s economy.
He said the scheme should be encouraged among wealthy Nigerians, adding that it will enable the beneficiaries to be independent financially in the long run.
A Community Development Advocate, Mr Lawal Olohungbebe, urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds to expand their businesses.
Olohungbebe cautioned them to draw a thin line in between family and business matters and refrain from spending such empowerment funds on either Aso-Ebi or food.
On his part, a motivational speaker, Mr Nas Abdulquadri, who described Mustapha as a detribalised Nigerian with remarkable political antecedents, said his empowerment scheme should be emulated by well-meaning individuals to reduce poverty.

He also stressed the need for the beneficiaries to maximise the funds for the benefit of their businesses.
Some beneficiaries, who spoke with newsmen, lauded Mustapha’s programme, saying it will go a long way in ameliorating their sufferings.
According to reports, the cash were packaged and disbursed in N50,000; N70,000; N100,000; N150,000; N200,000; N250,000 and N500,000 accordingly.