Small scale entrepreneurs and petty traders in Odiolowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area were full of smiles on Tuesday, 19 December, 2023, when the Rasak Ajala led administration distributed loans and grants worth more than N100 million beneficiaries at the council secretariat in Ilupeju.
Beneficiaries had earlier gone through rigorous screening exercise by a committee set up by the council boss.
The distribution of the loans and grants formed part of the end of the year empowerment programmes initiated by the council boss which began at the start of November.
While addressing the people, Hon Ajala reiterated his commitment to the well-being of the people of the LCDA.
“While we were traversing the nook and crannies of the LCDA soliciting for your votes, our covenant with you is to use my money, your money, our money to better our lots.
“Today’s event is the demonstration of the fulfillment of that promise that we will support business enterprises within our LCDA.
“Many doubting Thomases thought we can deliver this programme, believing it is one of those lies of government.
“But today our promises on the loan and grants have come to pass,” he said.
He stated that most of the advanced countries enjoy loan facilities to boost their economy hence life is more easy for them.
“The mindsets of our people in the area of loans access affect them because they rarely refund the loan they take, especially from government establishments
“I want to encourage the people to pay back this loan so that they can continue to enjoy the facility and also allow others to benefit, ” he stressed.
He announced the sum of N50,000 and N25,000 respectively as grants for over 500 people in the LCDA.
He explained that the request for loan and what is approved was informed by the screening carried out to verify the capacity of an individual’s business to ascertain their financial status.
“There is no favouritism in what we are doing here. What qualifies individual is his/her presentation at the screening done to ascertain their lines of businesses and financial status, ” he said.
He encouraged business men and women to use the bank for their transactions regularly as this will give them opportunities to access loans and other benefits in their businesses.
He announced that the same programme will come up in the quarters and end of next Year making it the second and third season of the program.
The highlight of the programme was the presentation of the dummy cheques to the beneficiaries of both the loans and grants.
In his goodwill message, the CDC Chairman Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA Otunba Adekunle Adebayo thanked the Chairman for the laudable programme.
“Programme like this is unprecedented in any local government in our dear state.
“I am proud of what is being done today and I want to commend the Chairman and his team for this marvelous programme.
“God will bless him and protect him, his family and the team,” he prayed.
He implored the beneficiaries to make use of the loan facility to better their lots.
“Some people will get little loans and if well managed will catapult them to a big business entity,” he said.
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Durowoju thanked the council boss for the laudable programme.
He prayed for them to be successful in whatever things they are doing.
Former Chairmen of Mushin local government Hon. Babatunde Odele (Pawpaw) and Hon. Mrs. Beatrice Tugbobo applauded the programme and said it was unprecedented in the history of the local government.
They both thanked the Chairman for making the LCDA what it is and prayed for him to succeed.
Some of the beneficiaries thanked the council boss for the program.
Ramata Titilayo Dosunmu thanked the Chairman for the loan facility given to her.
She said it will go a long way to help her business to grow as there is no interest placed on it.
She prayed for the Chairman and his team to succeed.
She advised other beneficiaries to pay back the loan so that other people can also benefit in the near future.
Megida Kudirat Funmilayo thanked the Chairman and his team for the opportunity to access the loan.
She also promised to pay back on time so that other people could also benefit from the scheme.
At the event were: the Vice Chairman of the LCDA, Hon Seyi Jakande; Leader of the Legislative Arm of the council, Hon. Rilwan Ola Ajenifuja; elected councillors; Secretary to the LCDA, Hon. Mujeeb Ayinde Daramola; and the supervisory councillors.
Others were: the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress in Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA Hon Ismail Babatunde Kazeem (TUNKAZ); the Secretary, Alhaji Mustafa Adeola Olaniyan; EXCO members and party Chairmen across the wards.
Other dignitaries were the former Chairmen of Mushin Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Odele (Pawpaw) and Hon. Mrs Beatrice Tugbobo; as well as former Deputy Women Leader of the All Progressive Congress in Lagos State, Hon. Mrs Kehinde Ajinni Babalola.
The Management Staff were fully present with the Council Manager, Mrs Afolake Otenaike leading the Council Treasurer, Mr Rufai Mujitaba Karohunwi and heads of various departments in the LCDA.
The CDC Chairman Otunba Adekunle Adebayo led the Community Development Association at the event with the Chairmen of Community Development Association and members.
