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Fifty youth from Oyo State have become the first beneficiaries of a new state government empowerment scheme after they received tricycle loans on Wednesday.
The event which was held at the premises of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ibadan, attracted a large turnout of people and the distribution of the tricycles was said to be the first batch.
According to the state government, the scheme is a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement, aimed at reducing poverty and youth unemployment, adding that it would cover a large number of beneficiaries across state.
For the loan scheme, the state government would only stand as guarantor for the beneficiaries who have fulfilled all required obligations and would be paying installmentally every week for a period of 56 weeks.
Governor Seyi Makinde who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Service Matters, Mrs Adewole Eyitayo, said the gesture was in fulfillment of his campaign promises during the build up to the 2019 elections.
His words: “As a new administration that came on board less than three months ago, we have looked into ways of ensuring that we fulfill our promises to our people,parts of which include agriculture, education, security and social investment.
“This administration is committed to the development, empowering the youths and those that are yet to benefit from the scheme should expect more life-improving programmes from this government.
”I want to admonish you all to be law abiding and support our government, it is only with this that we can deliver the dividend of democracy to you as expected.
“To all the beneficiaries, make good use of this great opportunity, ensure that you are like the wise servants in the bible who made good use of their talents by ensuring that the talents were increased before the master came back.”
In her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Christiana Abioye enjoined the beneficiaries to fulfill their part of the agreement on time so as to claim the ownership in order not to forfeit the opportunity.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Kayode Olaleye, who spoke on behalf of the other beneficiaries thanked Governor Makinde for the empowerment programme and promised to use the tricycles judiciously in order not to breach the terms of agreement.