By Odunayo Oluwabukola, Ibadan
Oyo State Government has warned its citizens to be wary of online platforms asking them to apply for the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) loan or wage award, saying it has nothing to do with such platforms.
The government observed that since its announcement of single-digit loans for micro and small businesses in the state as well as wage award to civil servants, there has been a deluge of online platforms urging citizens to register to access the loan or the wage award.
But in a statement, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Professor Musibau Babatunde, said the state government had not set up any online platform for anyone to register to access either the loan or the wage award.
Professor Babatunde, who is also the Chairman of SAfER Sub-Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises, stated further, “Oyo State Government is giving out loans to micro and small businesses through microfinance institutions in the seven zones of the state. We have not set up any platform or endorsed any for this purpose. Anyone interested in the micro and small businesses loan should approach any of the microfinance banks appointed for this purpose by the state government.
“The same thing applies to the wage award. The state governor, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has approved the payment of N25,000 wage award for civil servants. This is strictly for civil servants and it is handled by the Ministry of Finance. Therefore, any platform asking people to register to get the wage award is a scam and I want to advise our people not to fall for such.”
Professor Babatunde further advised the citizens not to pay any money to anyone with a view to getting the micro and small businesses loan or the wage award.