Kwara State
Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has flagged off a N150 million empowerment
initiative for transporters in the state through the provision of taxis, buses
and light trucks.
Speaking at the
flag-off ceremony of the first phase, which was the distribution of 100 taxis
procured at a cost of N50 million to taxi operators, Governor Ahmed said other
levels of empowerment in the sector would manifest in the next few months.
“In the
coming months, this administration will provide further demonstration of this
renewed determination to expand opportunities for our people through
unprecedented socio-economic capital projects and programmes that cut across
the state, including the provision of 8,200 jobs for the youths through Quick
Win,” he said.
Governor
Ahmed noted that apart from the N50 millon first phase transporter empowerment
scheme, his administration had distributed N674 million revolving loan to
various beneficiaries under its entrepreneurship scheme from 2012 to date
According to
the governor “it was noteworthy that over 70 per cent
repayment rate of the previous revolving loan scheme has been recorded,”
saying it had brought added benefit to more people under the programme.
Ahmed, who
said the revolving loan scheme for taxi drivers was not a government largesse,
urged them to work hard and repay the loans promptly so that others could
benefit.
He counselled
the beneficiaries of the taxi scheme to maintain the vehicles regularly, obey
traffic regulations and cooperate with security agencies to make the roads
accident-free and safe.
Speaking on
behalf of their members, Alhaji Abdulrasaq Badmus of National Union of Road
Transport Workers and Alhaji Farouk Opeloyeru of Road Transport Employers Association,
said the vehicles and the payment modalities were not forced on them as they
were also taken into confidence in the choice of vehicles procured under the
taxi revolving loan scheme.
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Society