The Ogun State Government says efforts are in top gear to hold a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Business Clinic where no fewer than 10,000 enterprises will be empowered soon.
Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Kikelomo Longe made this known during a virtual stakeholders’ engagement meeting on MSMEs, stating that the Clinic would focus on five critical sectors which include Agro-processing, Food and Beverages, solid minerals, Information Communication Technology (ICT), as well as Beauty and Textile sectors.
Represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Remi Ogunmefun, the Commissioner said the beneficiaries of the Business Clinic would be empowered through access to capital, business registration, capacity building, as well as training and mentoring, noting that the Clinic would be held in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ado-Odo/Ota, and Obafemi Owode Local Government Areas.
Longe assured that the government would continue to provide support services, linkages and facilitate access to capital, adding that her Ministry in collaboration with the Ogun State Agricultural and Multipurpose Credit Agency (OSAMCA) has empowered over 22,000 beneficiaries.
“All these efforts will further create employment opportunities and generate wealth. Our Ministry, in collaboration with OSAMCA recently disbursed N850 million to over 22,000 beneficiaries across the State,” the Commissioner said.
He said the present administration s working on setting up industrial clusters with industrial parks exclusively for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in order to boost the development of small businesses in the State.
In his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Remi Ogunmefun, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola disclosed that through the Ministry’s regular engagement with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, workable solutions were being provided to re-energise the sub-sector.
Ogunmefun assured that the Ministry would “continue to support vulnerable MSMEs to safeguard jobs and make available revolving loans and credit facilities from commercial banks to sustain small businesses”.
Speaking during the interactive segment of the program, Prince Bayo Ikujenyo and Mr. Adebayo Olusola respectively called on the government to set up industrial clusters across the State, appealing for an increased number of incubation centres in the State to enable the development of more entrepreneurs.