According to Vice President Kashim Shetima, the federal government is consciously funding the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinics initiative because of its potential to create jobs, alleviate poverty, and make a substantial contribution to the GDP of the nation.
The effort was part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to harness the potential of Nigeria’s small business sector, Shettima revealed while speaking at the seventh Expanded National MSME Clinics in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.
The MSME clinics were characterized by Ondo State Governor Dr. Lucky Ayadatiwa as a timely intervention that complemented the state’s initiatives to encourage sustainable growth and entrepreneurship.
Similarly, Mr. BiodunOyebanji, the governor of Ekiti State, praised the federal government for its ongoing support of the MSME clinics project, calling it a historic step that matched actual grassroots development with growth nationwide.
Shettima emphasized that the purpose of the clinics was to eliminate barriers to business registration and regulation, bring government services closer to the public, and offer businesses immediate assistance.
“The objective was to make sure that every Nigerian, wherever they may be, had access to the resources and opportunities required to establish and expand a sustainable business,” he stated.
As she praised the Ondo State government for organizing the seventh MSME clinics, Shettima urged the attendees to use the opportunity to expand their businesses.
During his remarks, Ayadatiwa claimed that the MSME clinics were a welcome intervention that complemented the state’s initiatives to encourage sustainable growth and entrepreneurship.
Small enterprises are the backbone of the nation, he said, and every effort to assist them should be commended and supported by all parties involved.
Aiyedatiwa said he was thrilled that Ondo State was selected to host the seventh Expanded MSME Clinics, viewing it as a blatant example of the federal government’s inclusive governance style.
He reassured the attendees that his administration was dedicated to removing obstacles to the expansion of businesses by means of better infrastructure, regulatory changes, and easier access to financing.
Through the MSME clinics program, the federal government continues to help small enterprises, which Oyebanji praised. He described the project as a historic step that supported true grassroots growth nationwide.
The governor claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s knowledge of the contribution MSME made to industrialization, poverty alleviation, and job creation was reflected in the program.
Oyebanji added that the Office of the Vice President’s efforts to maintain the MSME Clinics were the first time any government had made a conscious effort to match development and growth.
In addition to expressing hope that the program would empower local entrepreneurs and unleash the potential of small enterprises, he said his administration is still completely dedicated to fostering an atmosphere that is conducive to business and assisting MSMEs.
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Oyebanji said to the vice president, “I’ll begin by thanking the federal government for this initiative, Your Excellency. It has changed since we visited Ekiti State last year, and I’m sure that Ondo State will go through the same thing.
“To put it bluntly, this is the first time a government has tried to match innovation with growth. Historically, this nation has had good microeconomic indexes, such as GDP, which indicate expansion without progress.
“But since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined MSME Clinics, there has been a conscious effort to match development and growth, and we are really grateful to the Federal Government for that.”
In a different development, Oyebanji reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to guarantee the annual, continuous distribution of essential food supplies to state residents. This was revealed when the state capital of Ado-Ekiti’s “OunjeEkiti Retail Outlet” and “Ilu Eye Aggregation Hub” were formally opened.
He continued by saying that one of his administration’s top priorities was to fulfill Tinubu’s directive to pull the state out of poverty and hunger immediately by making sure that all of the food consumed in Ekiti was produced in the community.
Since its founding, Oyebanji claimed, his government had invested more over N50 billion in agribusiness. In order to guarantee food security and enhance access to affordable food commodities, he stated his goal of making Ekiti the nation’s food basket through a food supply system and mechanism.
He described the program as a calculated move to solve long-standing issues in the agriculture industry, as well as to cut down on food storage losses and ineffective market leaks.
According to the governor, the endeavor was a component of the suggestions made by the Ekiti State Food Security Committee, which was established to enhance the state’s food supply.
