|
A governor
A governor’s novel poverty alleviation programme
FRANK CHIDOZIE
DURING the
June edition of Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu’s monthly media
interaction with members of the pen profession, he made a very interesting
calculation that if allowed to establish a business with the N800 million he was
using to pay civil servants their monthly salaries, the enterprise would employ
three times the number of the state civil servants and pay them better.
That was no empty rhetoric; Dr. Uzor Kalu
is an internationally acclaimed businessman who had made his mark in national,
continental and international business circles before assuming office as the
executive governor of Abia State.
He owns the behemoth Slok Group, a
conglomeration of companies with interest in virtually every sector of local and
international enterprise. He has since relinquished the day-to-day running of
the Group in response to constitutional demands baring public office holders
from being involved in private enterprises.
Naturally, a man of such economic exposure
holding political office is bound to bring all the experiences of the board room
and business circles which he has garnered over the years to the ultimate
benefit of the people.
Such foresight and genius is currently
being translated into meaningful programmes in Abia State, one of which is the
Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu Transport Loan Scheme and Artisan Support Programme under the
coordination of a renowned businessman and seasoned administrator, Chief Ben
Etie.
The programme is novel in concept and
timeliness as it has within the short period of its coming on stream,
transformed the lives of those who have benefited from its numerous packages.
The scheme was set up to provide interest
free transport loans to desiring members of the public and also to help farmers
and artisans in the state acquire the tools of their trade without necessarily
having to pay all the required fee at a go.
The workings of the scheme is such that
motorcycles, cars, buses, wheel-barrows, artisan tools and several other items
are handed over to members of the public who meet certain set requirements on an
interest-free loan basis.
The requirements are quite flexible and
transparent in line with the overall policy guiding every facet of governance in
Abia State. For instance, to acquire a motorcycle on loan, all, one has to do is
go to Hallmark Bank in Umuahia and obtain an application form for N500.00. After
filling the form and submitting to the office of the coordinator, you will now
choose which of the various brands of motorcycle you would like to have. On
identifying your choice, you will be asked to go to the bank (Hallmark) and
deposit 50 per cent of the total cost of the motorcycle. As soon as you make the
deposit and return the slip to the office, you will sign an agreement of
repayment and walk away with your motorcycle same day! No bureaucracy, no
bottleneck, no bribe, no delay.
Kudos must go at this point to the
coordinator of the scheme, Chief Ben Etie, and his hard working team for the
wonderful way they have been discharging their duties to the admiration of all
and also for the honest and transparent way the programme is being run.
Interestingly, the cost at which the Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu Transport Loan Scheme is giving out the motorcycles is far less
than the concurrent market value of the same brands. For instance, a Simba CG125
medium range motorcycle which is being sold for from N120,000.00 upwards in the
market is being given out for N94,000.00 by the scheme. Same also applies for
every article obtained through the scheme.
Again, the repayment schedule for the
obtained vehicles are designed in such a way that the beneficiary will be able
to pay with ease while at the same time, enjoy the benefits of the article
purchased.
For a beneficiary to go away with a Simba
CG 125 motorcycle, he is expected to have deposited 50 per cent of the sum which
amounts to N47,000.00 in the scheme’s bank account. Thereafter, a three weeks
grace period is given to the beneficiary within which to sort out the
documentation and other necessities of the vehicle purchased. Thereafter, he
will be expected to make a monthly payment of N3,920 for 12 months running
starting the month after the expiration of the three weeks grace period.
In Umuahia, for instance, motorcycle (Okada)
riders make a daily return of N500.00 on the average to the bike owners. If the
beneficiary chooses to give the motorcycle out to be used as a commercial means
of transportation (Okada) he will be netting an average of N15,000.00
monthly. After depositing the mandatory N3,920.00 in the OUKTLS bank account, he
will be left with a balance of N12,000.00 to augment whatever income he is
making from his day job.
Another point worthy of mention is the
fact that all the motorcycles given out by the scheme are brand new and sourced
directly from the manufacturers enbloc hence the relatively low prices at which
they are being given out.
If you put into consideration the fact
that three thousand people have so far benefited from the scheme since its
inception in the year 2000, you will appreciate better the role the scheme has
been playing in fight against poverty in Abia State in particular and the
country in general.
Abia State has been adjudged time and
again as the most peaceful state in Nigeria. One of the identified root causes
of armed robbery and other such violent crimes is unemployment and idleness.
With the flexibility and affordability of the Dr. Uzor Kalu Transport Loan
Scheme, a lot of youths, who would have been tempted to indulge in such
antisocial acts have found meaningful and gainful employment and as such, would
not be idle for the devil to use them as pawns.
Much of the apathy exhibited by majority
off Nigerians to the economic policies and programmes of the central government
is the inability of the policies to translate to improved standard of leaving
for the citizenry.
Kudos should therefore be given to Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu for his foresight in establishing this novel programme and also
to the management and staff of the scheme for the enviable strides they have
recorded since inception.
To them all, we say bravo!
•Mr. Chidozie, a student, is one of the beneficiaries of the Transport Loan
Scheme.
|
