By Victor Nwegede
Ebonyi state government said its plan to boost the small and medium enterprises, SMEs in the state can never be underplayed, noting that batches of its empowerment programs for young entrepreneurs are fast approaching.
The Principal Secretary (PS) to the State Governor, Chief Matthias Adum on Tuesday gave the assurance when visited by the executives of Ebonyi Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, EBASME in his office, old Government House, Abakaliki.
Adum recalled that the state governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru few months in office empowered Ebonyi small business operators including street hawkers with 2 million Naira each and carried out another 100,000 Naira empowerment program for petty traders before the year 2023 ended.
He commended the formulation of the EBASME, noting that the association would assist in identifying the real small and medium business owners for easy access to government-funded loans, grants and other financial assistance in the state.
He charged the members of the EBASME to be very creative, hardworking and industrious in their business areas of interest while assuring them of working with the relevant ministries and agencies to address their demands towards SME development in the state.
"Now you people have put yourself together to form this association, what are you looking for? Some people are creative by their academic disposition and others are also creative because God has created them to be creative.
"We were taught to be creative, hard-working and industrious by our parents and grandparents, but now many have chosen to be very lazy and beg for food.
"But for me, if you are not hardworking, you are a great sinner. God hates lazy people and no food for a lazy person. It's written in the Bible, 'no food for a lazy man.' Even women, when they are lazy, can they eat? By the time you put yourself together as SME members, you become the best group we have in this world," Adum hinted.
He promised to meet with the Director of the Ebonyi Small and Medium Development Agency, Dr Stephen Odoh and other relevant government officials to work on the modalities to address the association's requests.
"I'm going to meet with the Director General to draw a road map. I supported the creation of the SME development agency in our state. For the agency to give loans, grants or financial assistance and you people were not part of it, who then is the beneficiary?
"You came at the right time because our governor is so desirous to bring out beggars and hawkers from the streets of Abuja, Lagos, Owerri, Delta, Warri, Port Harcourt and different cities including Abakalki here. Our governor said, money should be given to the lowest level of traders, who are carrying gala and barrow pushers in the streets.
"When we meet the Director General, we will address your requests including Federal government interventions for the SMEs. We are going to meet with the DG, Commissioner for Trade and Investment and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry. We are going to work out modalities towards Ebonyi SME development. Therefore, I encourage you not to plant groundnuts but plant palm trees - investing in what will benefit the next generations and not only your own time of existence," Adum hinted.
Earlier, the EBASME Chairman, Mr Joseph Erishi explained that the association visited the Principal Secretary to seek partnership with his office to assist them in accessing single-digit interest SME funds.
While commending Governor Francis Nwifuru's accomplishments in less than eight months in office, Erishi said, the association also called for its members' inclusion in government-sponsored trade missions and to restructure the accessible conditions attached to government SME funds for the accommodation of genuine and active entrepreneurs, among others.
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