BY COBHAM NSA – The Cross River State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF), Abuja Chapter, has commended the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, for floating a unique Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Support Programme to promote sustainable economic empowerment in Cross River State.
According to the Forum, introducing and funding the initiative represents a sharp departure from traditional empowerment schemes that focus on distributing motorcycles and tricycles, the popular ‘Keke NAPEPs’, to beneficiaries without consideration for lasting livelihood enhancement.
In a statement by its Chairman, Mrs. Francisca Ogar, CROSSJOF expressed delight that the Owan-Enoh MSME Support programme prioritises skills development, business growth, capacity building and long-term self-reliance.
The Forum noted that the programme, which gained public buzz in 2025 through media activist and publisher of CrossRiverWatch, Agba Jalingo, is fashioned to “teach beneficiaries how to fish” by equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and targeted business support rather than short-term handouts.
Mrs Ogar said the initiative reflects Senator Owan Enoh’s commitment to inclusive economic development, describing it as a great motivation to empower Cross Riverians across both the formal and informal sectors of the economy.
Further referencing information on Mr. Jalingo’s verified social media platforms, the CROSSJOF Chairman said the first two phases of the programme are expected to benefit about 950 Cross Riverians, with 475 beneficiaries per phase, while having additional phases being planned out.
With the programme’s framework indicating that selected applicants will undergo compulsory one week training at the Enterprise Development Centres (EDC) in Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja, the trajectory is that upon completion, formal sector beneficiaries would receive grants ranging from N100,000 to N500,000, while informal sector participants get between N100,000 and N150,000.
Offering an insight on the programme implementation, the organisers explained that grants would largely be disbursed in the form of business equipment and materials, rather than cash, to ensure funds are strictly invested in enterprise development while also providing cash only where items are perishable or impractical to procure.
CROSSJOF quoted Mr Jalingo’s post on the initiative thus: “The grant is preferred to purchase the items that beneficiaries need for their businesses and deliver to them. However, where the items are perishable or not possible to purchase, then cash will be disbursed to the beneficiaries via the account details that were supplied in their application forms”.
While assuring applicants and the general public that the beneficiaries’ selection process is incorruptible and transparent, Jalingo further wrote: “So far, the process has progressed without any form of interference or pressure from the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, who is funding the grant.
“He has not at any point, pressured us or sent a list, or nominated beneficiaries to be added on the list. He has asked the team to stick strictly to the rules guiding the process from the onset.”
The CrossRiverWatch publisher said though special consideration is being given to persons with verified disabilities, “No politician or individual has influenced the final list”, adding that, “Beneficiaries emerge solely based on verified business proposals.”
On the exception, Jalingo posted on Tuesday, 20th January 2026 that one of such cases involves a University of Calabar (Unical) graduate with hearing and speech impairment who has practised photography for nearly two decades using outdated equipment and requires modern tools to expand his business and support his family
“He needs a new digital camera to upgrade his trade and enhance his capacity to take care of his wife and kids. Cases like his and a few others are being given special attention in this phase due to their peculiarity. People like that, who have genuine small businesses and desire to stabilize them, are actually the persons the Minister is targeting with this grant. Not those who are looking for money to spend on sundry needs”, he wrote.
Against the backdrop of assurance that the list of beneficiaries for the programme’s second phase will be published on January 31, 2026, CROSSJOF hailed the Minister for adopting what it described as a groundbreaking, innovative, transparent and people-centred approach to empower Cross Riverians from all walks of life.
Importantly too, the Forum urged all public office holders and well-meaning Cross Riverians to embrace similar sustainable interventions for systemic enablement of people across the State.
