Ugwuanyi’s aide inaugurates monthly entrepreneurship grant for youths

An aide to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Mr Chidi Ilogebe, has inaugurated a monthly youths’ entrepreneurship grant of N50,000 each for five young entrepreneurs in the state.

The monthly grant would be given to five young and striving entrepreneurs aged between 20 and 30, resident and doing business in the state.

He presented N50,000 cheque to each of the five beneficiaries for March on Wednesday in Enugu.

He said the grant was to complement government’s empowerment programmes in the state.

Ilogebe, who is the Special Adviser on Student Affairs to Ugwuanyi, said the governor had given the young entrepreneurs a platform to excel with the grant and other empowerment packages.

According to him, the government empowers 50 traders in the state with N50,000 each for five years running.

“Government also gives free-collateral soft-loans for apprentice start-ups ranging from N50,000 to N300,000 through the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) centre.

“I must thank the governor for the platforms he made available to young persons in the state and his passion for growth of SMEs in the state,’’ Ilogebe said.

He urged the beneficiaries to be resilient and strive to be better entrepreneurs so they could in turn help others to grow economically.

He said that beneficiaries of the grant would be monitored and guided by established entrepreneurs in the state to ensure they also excel.

“Nothing is too small to turn the table around as an entrepreneur. It only takes determination and courage for the odds to tilt to your favour.

“A lot of destinies are tied to our lives, so we must push and strive to grow the capacity to help others.

“The governor has given us platforms to excel as young persons. So, I urge us to grab these opportunities with both hands,’’ Ilogebe said.

He said that the grant was from his monthly salary and that it would continue as long as he remained in government.

Responding, one of the beneficiaries, Mr Christian Eze, thanked Ilogebe for selecting him among hundreds of other young entrepreneurs for the grant.

Eze, who is into graphics and printing services, said, “I hail the governor for giving young people a chance to showcase their leadership content.’’

Another beneficiary, Miss Eunice Agwu, an event manager, said the grant would help her to get more event materials, utensils and condiments to improve her business.