What appears a revolution aimed at boosting Community Development in Abia State is set to take place , as a group, FBL-NASREP, is commiteed to boost and enhance radical socio economic development in the 723 communities of the State.
This is the first largest initiative in community development east of the Niger not undertaken by any State Government.
Unveiling the programme at an interactive session with representatives of all the communities in Abia State in Umuahia last Friday, Founder/MD, FBL-NASREP, Hon. Uchechi Ezebuiro, said the programme is conceived in the face of challenging unemployment and economic poverty rates in the State and also aimed at ensuring prosperity for the people of Abia State.
He stated that his group intends to be the leading company in community based entrepreneurial, infrastructural and industrial development in Nigeria and the Third World, explaining that FBL-NASREP is also committed to improve the social and economic condition of the people in the communities and ensure infrastructural development to consolidate Government’s effort in a strategic manner.
Aside this, other programmes designed by FBL-NASREP, according to him, is the launching of the Business Start Up Support Facility (BSSF) program to provide support facilities for the unemployed in the rural, urban and semi urban communities without collateral security and a two year instalment repayment plan with a single digit interest rate.
He said the facilities secured under a Community Leadership Credit Guarantee will provide technical material and financial support that covers 64 business fields in 5 business empowerment categories. He noted that with the strategic partnership of communities in the State conceived under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), FBL NASREP will engage in strategic partnership with communities in the State who will become stakeholders in several projects to be embarked on by the group.
Some of the projects include: 27,000 University Hostels Rooms in 10 Construction locations, 14 modern Safe Children’s Amusement Parks, 43 Small and Medium Scale factories and Processing Plants in Communities, 6 mega 54 Pump Capacity Petrol Stations, 5 state of the art Hyper Marche, 2 ultra modern 5 star hotels, 270, 000 Medium Rise Residential Housing Apartments, 1 used Oil Refining facility with 6950 waste oil collection centers in Nigeria
Hon.Ezebuiro also explained that under a Home Building And Target Contributory Savings Initiative (HBTCS) and Stakeholders Investment Portfolio (SIP) programme, it will encourage dedicated savings and offer investment opportunities for the lower and middle classes in the State.
Expatiating on the Initiatives, he said the HBTCS Initiative is an economic platform created to motivate and encourage dedicated savings culture amongst rural and semi urban dwellers, while the SIP programme is aimed rewarding opportunities to earn high yield profits on investments undertaken by FBL-NASREP.
Also speaking at the event, Principal Secretary of FBL-NASREP, Stella Kanu, described the initiative as a pathway to social and industrial growth to communities in the State. She stressed that FBL-NASREP vision is driven towards reducing the high rate of employment in Abia State, while calling on communities in the State embrace the initiative.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to representatives of various communities. The event was attended by a representative of the National Poverty Alleviation Programme (NAPEP), traditional rulers and community leaders
