The Adamawa State Government has disbursed ₦7 billion in cash support to micro businesses within one calendar year, setting a new record in the state’s history, the Director General of the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA), Dr Michael Zira, has said.
Zira disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing at the PAWECA headquarters in Yola, where he commended Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for prioritising grassroots economic empowerment as part of efforts to reduce poverty and strengthen the state’s economy.
According to him, Governor Fintiri is the first governor in Adamawa State to empower over 140,000 micro, small and medium-scale enterprises within a single year since the creation of the state, describing the feat as unprecedented.
The PAWECA boss said the agency had been closely monitoring and documenting the progress and success stories of beneficiaries of the Fintiri Business Wallet initiative, noting that detailed reports would be made available to the public in due course.
On complaints arising from the programme, Zira revealed that PAWECA received a total of 5,983 complaints, adding that the process of receiving complaints would be concluded on Friday. He explained that out of the total number, 5,115 complaints were verified as genuine, while 868 were found to be from individuals whose names and details do not exist in the agency’s database.
He further disclosed that some verified complainants were discovered to have already received their payments but still submitted complaints, a development he described as worrisome.
Zira said complaints related to failed transactions had been carefully compiled and assured affected beneficiaries that the payments would be reprocessed and disbursed next week.
The Director General also expressed concern over reports that some stakeholders collected illegal gratifications from beneficiaries after issuing them forms, stressing that those found culpable had been sanctioned. He urged beneficiaries to report anyone who demands or collects money in exchange for the forms.
In line with its commitment to transparency, Zira announced that PAWECA would publish the full list of beneficiaries and their respective banks after the completion of payments to allow for public verification.
He advised beneficiaries of the Fintiri Business Wallet to utilise the funds responsibly and invest them strictly in their businesses in line with the objectives of the programme.
Zira concluded by assuring the people of Adamawa State that more positive developments should be expected under the leadership of Governor Fintiri.
