By Onwa Ekor
The Cross River Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA) has received a delegation from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to strengthen collaboration on youth development in the state.
The delegation was led by the Skills and Livelihood Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Bamidele.
Speaking during the visit, Bamidele said the essence of the working visit was to align with line ministries and key agencies in Cross River, noting that livelihood sits at the intersection of skill acquisition, financial empowerment and youth development.
He stressed that unlike many agencies, UNICEF focuses on youths holistically without segregation between young men and women.
Bamidele disclosed UNICEF’s desire to collaborate with MEDA in implementing the Passport to Earning (P2E) Programme, an initiative designed to equip young people with market-relevant skills to earn sustainable living and contribute meaningfully to society.
In his remarks, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of MEDA, Mr. Great Ogban, highlighted the agency’s activities and achievements, revealing that it has disbursed over N500 million to strengthen Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) across the state.
Ogban reaffirmed MEDA’s commitment to its mandate of driving Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) development, affirming that its impact was reflected in the recent honour bestowed on the governor, Prince Bassey Otu, by the Presidency as the Most MSME-Friendly Governor.
He expressed MEDA’s full readiness to partner with UNICEF to spearhead the Passport to Earning Programme and ensure its seamless and impactful implementation across the State.
