300 SMEs Benefit From RIVCARES Programme

About 300 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have benefited from Rivers State COVID-19 Action Recovery And Economic Stimulus (RIV – CARES).
This was made known during the RIV-CARES Programme Result Area Three Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Delivery Platform’s one-day technical session for Digital/E-Commerce Integration of Beneficiaries in Port Harcourt recently.
The session, which was the first tranche of the programme, would also have more SMEs benefitting from the other phases.
In her speech, the  Technical Head, RivCares, Mrs Ephraim George Imaonyani, said the programme was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the people, through the restoration of SMEs.
Imaonyani noted that the programme was gov-ernment’s move to grow and build healthy enterprises in the state, emphasising on the need for the beneficiaries to make a good use of the grant and business equipment.
She reiterated that the beneficiaries were lucky to be among the first phase of the RIV- CARES, as entrepreneurship development and digital integration of the beneficiaries of the NGCARES/ RIVCARES RESULTS AREA 3 have put smiles on the  SMEs.
She urged the beneficiaries to ensure that the empowerment products would take their business to the next level.
One of the beneficiaries, Unyime Dickson applauded the Federal and State governments for the COVID-19 response empowerment, saying that the grant is a boost to their businesses.
She noted that SMEs  suffered untold hardship and were yet to recover from COVID-19 setbacks, adding that the committee did a good job.
Another beneficiary, Madam Appolus, thanked the World Bank, Federal and State Governments through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the empowerment.

By: Lillian Peters