January 05, (THEWILL) – Gershom Bassey, senator representing Cross River South in the national assembly has empowered 600 small scale businesses in Cross River.
The benefiting businesses are drawn from the seven local government areas of the Southern Senatorial District of the state.
Apart from businesses, students and women groups were also beneficiaries of the empowerment.
Speaking while presenting checks, Senator Bassey who is a gubernatorial hopeful said the empowerment is aimed at advancing the businesses.
He said this is the second phase of the empowerment and the third and fourth phase is on course.
According to Senator Bassey, “There is a need to assist our constituents where and when possible.
“The whole essence of this is to ensure that our people are able to get these funds especially for small businesses, people that sell things on the road, suya, small things, these grants help advance businesses.
“This is the second one in the series, we did a thousand women earlier this month and did it across the state, we are going to do a third and even fourth one, this will happen hopefully before April”, he said.
Senator Bassey added that so far we have spent about 60 million naira and we will spend more.
The second phase of the empowerment he stressed is part one for the men and part two for the women.
Mba Ukweni, SAN, a stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party as well as Bassey Ewa a former Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly graced the occasion.
Some of the benefiting businesses and youth groups expressed appreciation for the gesture stressing that it will help boost their businesses during the new year.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
