The Ondo State Government says the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, will be in the state on Thursday for the inauguration of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinic in Akure, the state capital.
The clinic was an initiative of the office of the Vice President in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment as well as 11 other federal agencies.
This was revealed during a news conference on Sunday in Akure by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Mrs Olubunmi Ademosu.
According to Ademosu, the programme would kick off on Wednesday while the Vice President is expected in the state on Thursday for the inauguration.
She said the Ondo State Government had put in place all the required structures and processes that would ensure the success of the programme, adding that the state government was targeting no fewer than 10,000 beneficiaries.
“The Akeredolu’s administration has always prioritised the people as a key point of his administration as all programmes we have carried out have been evenly implemented.
“We have also ensured that political influence is avoided with the commitment to facilitate a sense of belonging to residents of the state.
“The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Clinic will never be an exemption,’’ Ademosu said.
She expressed confidence that the programme would go a long way in raising a new set of entrepreneurs while the existing ones would be guided on the best steps to take to add value to their efforts.
“ Owners of micro, small and medium enterprises are expected to focus on capacity building before accessing the most appropriate financial facility.
“This is why you have businesses that open and shut down in less than few months of establishment.
“Access to finance for at least five years is the right structure for these businesses and government is already working toward addressing that with the establishment of the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN),” she said.
The Special Adviser explained that the idea of the MSME Clinic is part of the efforts of the Buhari administration to close the gap between enterprises and relevant government agencies.
She also said that agencies like NAFDAC, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organi-sation of Nigeria (SON), Bank of Industry (BoI), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and others serve as facilitators of businesses and not obstacles to business development in the country.
Similarly, the Ondo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Timehin Adelegbe, said the implementation of the programme was timely.
“It is coming at a period that the Akeredolu administration is intensifying efforts at creating a conducive environment for small scale businessmen in the state,’’ he said.
