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We are more honest than PDP govt, says Osinbajo
The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will continue to improve the economic well-being of Nigerians, particularly the micro, small and medium scale business owners.
He also said the administration would continue to be honest with the people and there would be no room for the looting of the taxpayers’ money, saying the current government was better than the previous government in the area of honesty with people’s money.
The VP stated this at the inauguration of the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Clinics in Ondo State, held at the International Event Centre, Akure, the state capital on Thursday.
According to him, the Buhari’s administration is committed to ensuring that small business owners have opportunities to access loans to boost their businesses without passing through rigorous conditions unlike in the previous years.
He said, “We are not going to steal people’s money, this is the difference between us and the previous government. This money doesn’t belong to us, it belongs to the people. The problem of Nigeria will reduce if we don’t steal money.
“We will hold ourselves accountable to the people of Nigeria, we will express our good leadership, it may be tough but we will move forward. They said we are arresting looters and we have not jailed anybody but we will continue to arrest and put them on trial.”
He urged the beneficiaries of the interest-free MSME loans to use the money for the purpose it meant and ensure the repayment of the money as and when due.
In his remarks, the Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, said the MSME Clinics, inaugurated in the state was aimed at improving the economic well-being of the people and thus end poverty in the state.
He said, “Today’s programme further underscores the determination of the Federal Government to drive the country’s economy towards self-reliance, using this platform, as a delivery tool for development.
“There can be no better demonstration of serious commitment on the part of the government than this direct involvement at the highest level of authority. “
In her remarks, the Executive Director of the Bank of Industry, Mrs. Toyin Adeniji, said the programme was being organised by the Federal Government to boost small and medium scale business.
She noted that the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme was also a government initiative being executed by the Bank of Industry, adding that it had succeeded in given out micro-credit loans to the beneficiaries all over the country.
“The GEEP has given micro-credit loans to the 774 local governments and the Federal Capital Territory and also we have 600,000 beneficiaries while half of them have received GEEP loans,” Adeniji disclosed.