New Telegraph

#EndSARS protest: Kwara issues cheques to 48 looted businesses

 

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

 

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has presented cheques of varying amounts of grants (nonrefundable) to 48 businesses whose shops were looted following the October ENDSARS protest in Ilorin, the state capital, with the highest beneficiary getting a grant of N17 million, the middle earner getting N15 million, and the lowest getting N100,000 as recommended by the adjuster and the committee.
The government had in November engaged an independent insurance adjuster and empanelled an 11-person committee, including civic groups and representative of the business owners, to fact-check claims submitted by 342 businesses who filled an online form to benefit from a N500m SME Recovery Fund establish to support the victims.
Of the 342 firms who registered, only 64 turned up for verification out of whom the committee established 48 for compensation while eight injured vigilantes manning the looted Cargo Terminal were also captured for some support.
The total grants awarded stood at N180,775,000 in line with the recommendations of the committee.
The governor said: “We really sympathise with you and we regret that such a thing ever happened to businesses. We do not have the capacity to give you everything you have lost but this is our token of support to encourage you not to give up.
“The trouble emanating from #EndSARS incident has come to pass but it left a lot of victims behind and you are some of the victims. It is not your fault that your businesses were damaged but as an entrepreneur, we believe in what you are doing.
“We want to turn Kwara from being a civil service state to be an enterprising state and entrepreneur like you must be encouraged. We want more people to do what you are doing and if we give you the confidence to stay and rebuild your businesses in Kwara, more people would be encouraged. You are pathfinders, you are setting pace and showing the ways to others who want to achieve in life.
“Government cannot provide all the jobs but it should be providing the right atmosphere for ease of doing business. That is why we feel very strongly about encouraging you to achieve what you need to do. So, those of you that have started repositioning yourselves, we wish you well and thank you.”

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