The Cross River State Journalists Forum, CROSSJOF, Abuja Chapter, has praised the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Owan Enoh, for introducing and funding a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSME, Support Programme aimed at promoting sustainable economic empowerment in Cross River State.
The Forum, in a statement by its Chairman, Mrs. Francisca Ogar, described the initiative as a departure from traditional empowerment schemes that focus on distributing motorcycles and tricycles, noting that the MSME programme prioritises skills development, business growth and long-term self-reliance.
CROSSJOF recalled that the programme, which gained public attention in 2025 through media activist Agba Jalingo, was designed to “teach beneficiaries how to fish” by equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and targeted business support rather than short-term handouts.
Ogar said the initiative reflects Senator Owan Enoh’s commitment to inclusive economic development, stressing that the programme targets beneficiaries across both the formal and informal sectors.
According to information released by Mr. Jalingo on his verified social media platforms, the first two phases of the programme are expected to benefit 950 Cross Riverians, with 475 beneficiaries per phase, while additional phases are planned.
Under the programme’s framework, selected applicants undergo a compulsory one-week training at Enterprise Development Centres, EDCs, in Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja.
Upon completion, formal sector beneficiaries receive grants ranging from N100,000 to N500,000, while informal sector participants receive between N100,000 and N150,000.
The organisers explained that grants are largely disbursed in the form of business equipment and materials, rather than cash, to ensure funds are used strictly for enterprise development. Cash is provided only where items are perishable or impractical to procure.
Jalingo also assured the public that the selection process is transparent and merit-based, emphasising that Senator Owan Enoh has not interfered in the process or nominated beneficiaries.
“No politician or individual has influenced the final list.
Beneficiaries emerge solely based on verified business proposals,” he said, adding that special consideration is being given to persons with verified disabilities.
One such case involves a University of Calabar graduate with hearing and speech impairment who has practised photography for nearly two decades using outdated equipment and requires modern tools to expand his business and support his family.
Jalingo disclosed that the list of beneficiaries for the second phase of the programme will be published on January 31, 2026.
CROSSJOF commended the minister for adopting what it described as an innovative, transparent and people-centred approach to empowerment, urging other public office holders to embrace similar sustainable interventions.
