The Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) N30, 000 one-time grant for artisans is real and the disbursement of funds under the scheme is going on across the first set of States, according to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande.

 Mr Akande stated this in Abuja on Thursday during Radio Nigeria’s live phone-in programme where he was featured alongside the Special Assistant on MSMEs, Mr Tola Johnson and a number of the FCT-based beneficiaries of the N30,000 grant.

 According to him, “I will like to tell Nigerians that this programme is for real that is why we have invited some of the leaders of the artisan groups and beneficiaries here in Abuja to come and speak directly to Nigerians.

On the ground to authenticate the genuineness of the scheme based on the testimonies of their members, were representatives of the various artisans’ groups, as well as beneficiaries in the FCT.

They include the Chairman (FCT) Nigeria Automobile Association & Informal Sector (NATA), Mr. Philip Ogunsakin; Vice-Chairman Informal Sector Artisans Association, Abuja, Comrade Wisdom Okputa; State Marshal, (FCT) Nigeria Automobile Association & Informal Sector (NATA), Comrade Ifeanyi Chukwu Nebechi; and State Secretary (FCT) Nigeria Automobile Association & Informal Sector (NATA), including one of the direct beneficiaries, Comrade Babatunde Yusuf.

They all spoke at the Radio show, confirming the disbursements of the money to them or members of their associations.

 Comrade Yusuf Babatunde said “it amazed me when I received my grant last week Thursday and I was so happy because I had only N250 left in my account when it arrived. It went a long way to get some parts for my Car AC business.”

 Comrade Wisdom Okputa, Vice Chairman, Informal Sector Artisans Association of Abuja, said: “Some people have benefitted and they are happy and at the last meeting, they testified and are using the money to build up their businesses and those who don’t have tools, bought tools, those without spraying machine have also bought.”