The Madang Provincial SME Credit Program witnessed its first batch of ten (10) recipients being presented their loans this week in the presence of the Governor for Madang Ramsey Pariwa.
These first ten recipients are the success story of the Madang Provincial SME Credit Program after it was officially launched in April this year.
Governor Pariwa commended the first ten recipients, stating that they should start small with the SME loan assistance provided by the Madang Provincial Government in order to grow their capital to become successful in life.
Mr. Pariwa said Madang is the only province that has invested K5 million to support SME. Other provinces only have districts investing in SME; however, the funding is usually to the tune of only K1 million.
He encouraged that he likes to see that one day in the future one of these recipients of the SME Credit Program he has initiated to become successful and operate a big shop in Madang Town.
Mr. Pariwa also challenged the Madang people to do away with the ‘laid back’ attitude of sitting down with folded arms and spectating and commenting on the success of others.
Instead, Madang people must wake up from their doldrums and focus more on tilling the land, working hard and sweating in order to see progress and prosperity.
He further challenged the people to apply the Godly principle of working hard and to sweat in order to become successful in life.
In the last fifty years the people of Madang have been expecting too much from the government to provide or give them everything freely.
“No wonder the province and the country had not significantly progressed in the last fifty years.”
He said in the next fifty years starting this year, the province would have to work hard and sweat in order to achieve positive results, progress and prosperity.
“My government is providing the K5 million SME Credit facility to assist the little people to get into small businesses and grow their capital and one day become millionaires.”
“We the government are providing an opportunity for all aspiring entrepreneurs of Madang to start a business now going forward.”
Meanwhile, the presentation of the first batch of loan to the recipients was facilitated by the Madang Provincial Government, the Division of Commerce and the National Development Bank (NDB).
The ten recipients are from rural districts of Madang Province, particularly Usino-Bundi, Middle Ramu, Rai Coast, Madang and Bogia.
They all thanked the Governor for the Provincial SME Credit Program which was their first time to be given that opportunity.
The Governor said if a little farmer from Kumbruf in Simbai Local Level Government (LLG) of Middle Ramu District could successfully get his loan credit from the bank today, then it should not be an excuse for some of us closer to the town to complain about requirements and wait for miracles to happen.
On the other hand, NDB Madang Branch Manager, John Mundi, thanked Governor Pariwa for having confidence in parking the K5 million funding for the SME Credit Program with NDB.
Mr. Mundi said the presentation of the loans to the first ten recipients should pave way for more to acquire loans through the Madang Provincial SME Credit Program.
He added that the work is already in progress for the second batch of over twenty recipients to take place soon with the third batch soon to be announced before the end of this year.
“The SME loan presentation is also an eye-opener for the critics and those people who had doubts and had commented negatively against the SME Credit Program as another money scheme.”
