By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has thrown its weight behind the renewed rollout of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, GEEP, 3.0, describing it as a catalyst for micro-business growth, poverty reduction and stronger community resilience across the country.
The initiative gained fresh momentum in Abuja on Tuesday, when the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, declared that the programme’s relaunch would deepen access to affordable financing for the grassroots and expand economic opportunities for traders, artisans, farmers, women and young people.
Speaking at the official unveiling of GEEP 3.0 and the flag-off of the FarmerMoni Dry/Wet Season Disbursement, Mahmoud said the Administration was aligning fully with the Renewed Hope Agenda to drive inclusive growth.
Mahmoud, in a statement issued by her Special Adviser on Media, Austine Elemue, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustaining interventions designed to uplift vulnerable groups, saying: “GEEP 3.0 is a strategic and timely demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda, expanding affordable financing to traders, artisans, farmers, women, and youth to boost micro-enterprises, household incomes, and community resilience.”
The minister, according to the statement, described the FarmerMoni Dry/Wet Season Disbursement as a crucial push toward food security and rural prosperity, noting that the renewed support for farmers would strengthen value-chain development and stabilize livelihoods.
While welcoming the newly inaugurated Technical Working Group, the Minister said its role would be central to “ensuring technical oversight, efficient fund disbursement, prudent utilization, and accountability.”
Mahmoud further reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s readiness to partner with relevant agencies to widen access for beneficiaries, urging participants to apply the funds responsibly, reinvest productively and prioritize repayment to safeguard the programme’s continuity.
She also charged implementing partners to uphold diligence, transparency and innovation in driving the scheme to its full potential.
