By Brave Dickson
The Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, District 9141 on Wednesday celebrated its 55th anniversary with the distribution of free interest loans to traders of Mile 2 and Rumuokoro markets.
The gesture was part of the Rotary Club’s economic empowerment mandate to its host communities and environs.
Communicating the significance of the microcredit to our correspondent, the President, Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, District 9141, Rtn: Adaure Odu said: “We gave micro-credit free interest loans to market traders from Mile 2 and Rumuokoro markets.
“We gave some of the beneficiaries N50,000 with the condition of returning it after one year.
We advised the beneficiaries of the loans to be prudent and use the money judiciously because the aim is to make them prosperous in business.
“They should also see the gesture as a thing of joy, knowing fully well that with the present economic challenges of the country, it is not easy to see such free interest loan.
“So, they should not abuse this privilege and they might even receive more once they are able to return it after one year.”
On their part, the beneficiaries of the free interest loans thanked the leadership of Rotary for the empowerment and prayed to God to reward them for good.
They said the micro-credit will greatly help them in business and promised to judiciously use the loans and without delay return it after one year.
Highlights of the celebration were: media chat, Novelty football match, Anniversary lecture, Award and Anniversary cake cutting among others.
Our correspondent reports that the club which was chartered on January 22, 1965, also used the anniversary to celebrate its past presidents.