ASABA - NAPEP in Delta says that N9 million has been disbursed to 400 beneficiaries under its Promise Keepers programme (PKP).

The Delta coordinator of NAPEP, Mr Austin Igbine, told newsmen in Asaba that the loans, which are interest free, were disbursed through faith-based organisations in the state.

Igbine said that a total of N10 million would be disbursed under the promise keepers programme this year.

On Multi-partner Matching Fund Programme, he said the programme was launched by NAPEP as an instrument for the generation of resources for grassroots activities.

Igbine said that under its Multi-partner Matching Fund Programme (MPMF), N40 million was disbursed to 1,000 beneficiaries, who are farmers and small-scale industrialists in 2007.

He also said that N18 million was disbursed as loans to 350 business ventures in Delta in 2006.
According to him, under its Farmers’ Empowerment Programme, N45 million was disbursed to farmers, who are members of cooperative societies and 400 of them benefited in 2006.

The coordinator said that NAPEP established three skill acquisition centres in the three senatorial districts of the state.

He said projects were being set up in villages and communities throughout the state, under the Village Economic Development Solution (VEDS).

Igbine explained that the programme was a holistic approach to modernise and transform rural communities by co-funding entrepreneurs.

“We use Micro-finance Institutions (MFIs) for fund disbursement and more than N500 million has been earmarked for the project.

“The state government has brought its contribution, which is N200 million and Intercontinental Bank, which is our chosen bank has also contributed N200 million,” he said.

He said that sensitisation programmes on the scheme had started in a bid to popularise the scheme, adding, “this will get more people and communities involved so that poverty would be eradicated’’.