Rivers community empowers 50 PWDs with N5m business loans

Erastus Awortu, chairman of Andoni LGA in Rivers state, has given N100,000 each to 50 people with disabilities (PWDs).

Each of the beneficiaries was also provided with a point of sale (POS) machine.

Awortu said the measures are part of initiatives to help them improve the quality of their lives.

The total amount of money provided to the beneficiaries was N5 million.

The funds were made available to them at Ngo, the headquarters of the council.

Addressing the recipients, the council boss said the relief package was take-off grants for them following a four-day training as mobile money agents (POS agents) financed by the local government.

He also said the provision was part of his administration’s ongoing assistance to owners of small businesses with the view to eradicating poverty in the community.

“This phase of our business support scheme is targeted at persons with disabilities, unbiasedly drawn from the 11 wards of Andoni,” he said.

“They are now certified POS agents, having had requisite knowledge after their training by resource persons in that field.”

He also stated that different small scale businesses such as Oyorokoto fish traders, seafood farmers and cassava farmers were among those who have been assisted since its inception in 2021.

He advised people who received the support to use the business opportunity wisely.

Some of the people empowered thanked the LG helmsman and his team for these relief packages and for giving the PWD community a sense of belonging.

Oke Dominic, one of the beneficiaries from ward 1, said that the gesture will help reduce poverty caused by unemployment.

Awajioniro Nte, another beneficiary, said the support will save him from overreliance on other people.