FG begins payment of N30,000 to 333,000 Artisans

The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed it had begun the payment of N30,000 one-time grant to 333,000 artisans across the country as part of implementing the Economic Sustainability Growth Plan.

The payments are being made to sets of verified beneficiaries of the Artisan Support Scheme, a track under the MSMEs Survival Fund.

A statement made available by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, he explained that the first stream of payments which started Tuesday are to beneficiaries from the FCT, Lagos, Ondo, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau and Delta States.

“They form the first batch of applications for the scheme submitted between October 1 and October 10,” Akande said.

The Presidential media aide, explained that the MSMEs Survival Fund scheme is a component of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan, (NESP), developed by an Economic Sustainability Committee established by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, heads the committee which formulated, and is overseeing implementation of the plan.

Akande explained further that under the ESP, the Survival Fund is generally designed to, among other things, support vulnerable MSMEs in meeting their different obligations and safeguard jobs in the sector.

The applications for the Artisans’ Support Scheme under the MSMEs Survival Fund was opened on October 1.

Meanwhile, the enumeration for the second stream of States under the Artisan Support Scheme has also commenced with enumerators in various States compiling the lists of artisans through their association leaders. All artisans are expected to liaise with their association leaders to document their details.