Daily Independent (Lagos)
16 October 2008
Four months after the official launch of the collaboration between the government of Niger State and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria [SMEDAN], Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu has released the sum of N7, 580, 000 to 215 beneficiaries of entrepreneurship training conducted by SMEDAN in different parts of the state.
The amount was disbursed on Monday at a brief ceremony in Minna, through three micro-finance banks and was meant to be seed money for smooth take off of the micro enterprises set up by the beneficiaries of the SMEDAN training. A breakdown of the amount showed that N2, 820, 000 was disbursed to 74 graduands through Bejin-Doko Microfinance Bank; N2, 510,000 was disbursed to 76 graduands through Nexus Microfinance Bank; while N2,250,000 was disbursed to 65 graduands through Kontagora Micro-finance Bank. Certificates were also presented to the successful participants.
Speaking at the occasion, the State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu who was represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf, stated that one of the major thrust of his administration was to ensure the enhancement of the socio-economic life of the poor, under-privileged women and youth for the purpose of making them self-reliant and responsible citizens by the year 2011.
Congratulating the graduands, the Governor charged them to use the knowledge and skills acquired during the training as spring-boards to launch themselves into the world of enterprise and commerce. He re-stated his government's commitment to sustainable economic empowerment of the people through entrepreneurship development, functional and vocational skills acquisition.
Governor Aliyu commended SMEDAN for initiating the collaborative programme and donating equipment worth millions of Naira to the Business Support Centre [BSC] established in the State, expressing hope that SMEDAN would continue the collaboration with the state.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, the Acting Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr. Olawale Fasanya, pledged that in continuation of the collaboration, the Agency would facilitate the formation of graduands into Self-Help Groups [SHGs] as a platform for accessing available opportunities and for the sharpening of skills and development of members.
"The formation of Self Help Groups will further assist us to easily address some of the major start-up challenges usually faced by trained entrepreneurs such as poor access to finance and markets," he stated.
The SMEDAN chief executive also pledged to ensure that the emerging entrepreneurs have access to technology or production up-grade that is effective, efficient and affordable. "We have therefore put in place an effective monitoring and evaluation system that would regularly and closely work with you to ensure that your enterprises start and grow," noted Fasanya.
He congratulated them for being the first beneficiaries of the partnership with state governments across the country while appreciating the Chief Servant of Niger State for working assiduously towards the economic empowerment of the people.
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