BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – In keeping with the administration’s People’s First’ agenda, the Cross River State Government (CRSG) has disbursed 250 million Naira self-enhancement entrepreneurship grants to the first batch of 500 retirees from the State Civil Service.
The grants are disbursed under the “Retiree Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDI)” which the government explained is a bold step towards repositioning senior citizens as active contributors to the state’s economy.
However, the government has cautioned that with the retirees’ monthly pensions being paid promptly and regularly, the grant is only meant for productive ventures and not for their daily upkeep.
Speaking at the cheques’ presentation ceremony to the beneficiaries ceremony, Governor Bassey Edet Otu, represented by his deputy, Rt Hon Peter Odey, urged the beneficiaries to see the gesture as an opportunity to embark on a self-sustaining business ventures to complement their monthly pensions.
He also announced plans to approach the State House of Assembly (CRSHA) will a bill establishing Senior Citizens Development Centres in Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja Local Government Areas towards sustaining the programme in a way that would ensure all retirees draw from its benefits going forward .
The governor challenged all beneficiaries to ensure that the grant is put to judicious use, as the N500,000 grant per beneficiary is capable of taking care of a small business enterprise that would keep them busy instead of remaining idle at home waiting for pensions to be paid.
One of the beneficiaries, who retired from the State Fire service, Madam Ako Essien praised Governor Otu for his love and compassion towards them, noting when they enrolled for the three months training, there was initial skepticism about government’s sincerity in extending such gesture to them, the first of its kind in the state.
An elated Madam Ako said after the training programme, she had to carry out a business survey and arrived at setting up a poultry feed shop while waiting for the grant.
