President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to promoting the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
Tinubu, who stated this at the 8th Expanded National MSME Clinic in Calabar, said Nigerians have no reason to be poor.
Represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, the president said the country had boundless human and natural resources at its disposal.
The president said Cross River, as a state, had the capacity to grow almost every crop because of its fertile land.
“The Federal Government plans to plant 100 million oil palm trees, more than any other state. Cross River has an advantage,” he said.
President Tinubu further said that upon assumption of office, his government guaranteed access to capital and pledged to support ventures that would redefine the future of work, skills, and industry.
He commended the Cross River Government for establishing a state-of-the-art communication and technology hub for MSMEs, saying, it aligns the state with trends in digital technology.
“The hub will give MSMEs affordable access to high-speed internet, modern equipment, and a collaborative space to learn and innovate, remembering that the digital world is a window to diverse markets.
“The digital world has space for the market woman in Ikom, the furniture maker in Calabar, and the fashion designer in Ogoja, Ugep, or Odukpani.
“Our commitment is not just to give loans or grants, but to build an ecosystem that provides infrastructure and enhances the creativity of entrepreneurs,” he said.
In his speech, Governor Bassey Otu described the 8th MSME Clinic as a special-purpose initiative between Cross River and the Federal Government.
Otu said the essence was to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit of the citizens and grow the economy of the state, through the Micro Finance and Enterprise Development Agency, under which the state government had trained over 3,000 entrepreneurs in different facets of entrepreneurship.
He commended the president for his foresight and expressed the commitment of the state government to support the realisation of his Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Head, Bank of Industry (BOI), Cross River office, Mr. Pius Neji, said the bank was a fundamental friend and partner in progress to entrepreneurs.
Neji said the BOI had been giving out funds to assist businesses in rural areas, and that it had already disbursed about N260 million to MSMEs in the state.