Npower: FG Finally Launch Artisan, Transport Scheme Survival Fund-Apply Now

Federal Government has launched a survival fund for artisans and transport operators.

News Rain Nigeria gathered that the Artisan and Transport Sector Track of the Survival Fund and Guarantee Off-take Scheme was launched in Lagos on Thursday.

Speaking at the launch, the Vice President of the Steering Committee of Survival Fund, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, said the program aimed to assist Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the 36 states and FCT.

Npower: FG Launch Artisan, Transport Scheme Survival Fund

She stated: “The Artisan and Transport support scheme was designed to provide 333,000 artisans and transport business operators with an N30,000 operation grant to reduce the effect of income loss during the Covid-19 pandemic and its resultant lockdown.

“The scheme aims to provide 9,009 beneficiaries in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT by leveraging duly registered and recognized associations and clusters of registered artisans and transport organizations/workers.

“Beneficiaries under artisans include Tailors, bricklayers, hairstylists, printers, cart pushers, etc. registered with their respective trade associations and organized into regional, state, and local government chapters. While transporters include: bus drivers, conductors, taxi- drivers, amongst others.

“We encourage you to open an account number so that the money would be paid directly into the beneficiary’s account as we will not be handing out cash.”

Also at the event, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Mr. Kayode Pitan, and a member of the steering committee said: “Forty-five percent of those who are going to benefit from the scheme in each state will be women and there is also 5 percent reserved for those with special needs.

“The amount is N30,000 per individual, which will be given to the beneficiaries through the associations.

According to him, all associations must be duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a requirement to be able to obtain the funds for their members.

“Each beneficiary also has to have a BVN number, but if you do not have one, you can still benefit through the leadership of the association registered with the CAC,” he said.

 

Nigerians interested shouldVisit:https://www.survivalfundapplication.com/ to apply.

It can be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari introduced the Economic Sustainability Plan on July 1, 2020, as part of measures to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on MSMEs.

The scheme will be implemented in three phases. The first phase from October 1, 2020 – 10th October 2020, covering FCT, Lagos, Ekiti, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau, and Delta states.

The second phase which will commence on 19th October -31st October 2020, covering Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, and Ebonyi states.

While the third phase is to commence on 9th November – November 21, 2020, covering Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Niger, Imo, Oyo, Osun, Jigawa, Gombe, and Benue states.