Date Published: 01/17/11

FG commends Uduaghan for efforts to alleviate poverty

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left) receiving awards of excellence as the best performing state of Micro-credit from the Representative of Mr. President, Mr. Jubril Martins Kuye, Minister of Commerce and Industry (right) while Mallam Lamidi Sanusi, CBN Governor (middle) looks on with interest.

For the third consecutive year, the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, has recognized Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan's strides in poverty reduction among the rural and urban poor.

The apex bank at its fifth Annual Micro-finance Conference and Entrepreneur Awards holding in Abuja, gave the CBN Micro Credit Award 2010 to Governor Uduaghan for emerging the best of the States supporting micro-credit programmes with the Delta State Micro-Credit Programme(DMCP).

President Goodluck Jonathan, represented at the occasion by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Senator Jubril Martins Kuye, presented the award.

The president lauded the vision and foresight of Uduaghan in establishing the DMCP as well as in strengthening the state micro-credit programme with three billion naira in the year under review, a development which has resulted in over 80,000 people, mostly women,having access to cheap funds.

He said the Federal Government was committed to improving the living standards of the people and enjoined other States to emulate Delta State efforts, as well as appealled to all to partner the CBN to enlighten the grassroots on the benefits of micro-credit finance.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan expressed excitement at the award, and said the State Micro-Credit Programme was a veritable tool in the economic empowerment of the people.

Explaining how the state manages the Programme, Dr. Uduaghan said beneficiaries do not get money directly, adding that all disbursements were done through micro-finance banks with little or no interest depending on the category.

He told the gathering that the importance he attached to the Programme informed his direct supervision and personal attendance at all the CBN award ceremonies.

Dr. Uduaghan acknowledged the support of the CBN for the programme and called for support from the organized private sector.

Fielding questions later from journalists, Governor Uduaghan dedicated the award to the beneficiaries, adding that the award would encourage the state government to expand the programme for more people to benefit.

His words “ The award is an encouragement to us. I dedicate it basically to the beneficiaries of the programme. It encourages us more to do more in the next years. From now on, we will do more so that more people will continue to benefit from it.”

Governor Uduaghan presented items produced by the beneficiaries of the micro-credit Programme to President Goodluck Jonathan and the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Delta State under the leadership of Uduaghan won the CBN Micro Credit Award for 2008 and 2009.

In particular, the state won the CBN Best Agric Support Governor in 2008; Best Governor under Microfinance/SME in 2009; and first runner-up in the Agric Credit Scheme(Trust Fund Model) in 2009.

The Governor also received an international award in Ghana from the Sisters Cities International Foundation for providing the enabling development environment for women and youths to be gainfully engaged.The Foundation was founded by former US president , Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Besides,a beneficiary of the DMCP, producers of IDS instant spices,won two CBN awards in 2009 - the Best Micro Entrepreneur "most innovative product" and "most marketed product".