Ogun State government has called on nano business owners in the 20 Local Government Areas of the State who have received Short Message Services (SMS) from the Bank of Industry (BOI) on the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme to proceed to the Local Government Secretariat in their domain to participate in the ongoing verification and enumeration exercise for the grant.

The enumeration and verification exercise for potential beneficiaries of the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme commenced in the State on Monday, May 13, 2024 and is scheduled to end on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Mrs. Oluyemisi Somorin- Dawodu made the call in Abeokuta while monitoring the exercise in Abeokuta South and Abeokuta North Local Government Areas of the State clarifying that the conditional grant which is organised by the Federal government in collaboration with State government is not a scam.

Mrs Somorin-Dawodu who also doubles as State Focal Person for the grant added that the grant which was inaugurated in January, 2024 is geared towards expanding economic activities of one million people at the small scale level across the country.

She noted that those who have gotten an SMS from the BOI should go to the Local Government Secretariat with their Bank Verirification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN) to partake in the verification and enumeration exercise.

“ We are determined to ensure that nano business owners do not miss out of this opportunity. We urge business owners, please come out and participate in this Verification and Enumeration exercise if you have gotten an SMS from the Bank of Industry (BOI). Come out in large number, the programme ends on Friday,” the Special Adviser appealed.

Speaking in an interview, Team Lead, Presidential Conditional Grant, Abeokuta North Local Government Area, Ibironke Ogunbiyi said 20,000 potential beneficiaries are expected to participate in the enumeration and verification exercise in Ogun State translating to 1,000 beneficiaries in each Local Government Area adding that, each beneficiary would get N50,000.

Corroborating the Special Adviser, Ogunbiyi asserted that the empowerment scheme is real adding that potential beneficiaries should come out en masse to participate in the enumeration and verification exercise before the exercise ends on Friday.

Speaking with a beneficiary in Abeokuta North, Tajudeen Olukayode said he was surprised to receive the message from the Bank of Industry inviting him for capturing, pointing out that the process is transparent without any need for connection.