Business
SON Garners Support For MSMEs
Standards Organisation
of Nigeria (SON), has appealed to states and local governments to assist Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) set on their feet for overall economic and industrial growth.
The acting director-general, SON, Mr Paul Angya, who made this appeal during an interaction with the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, when he paid him a courtesy visit also pointed out that MSMEs are the engine of growth for any economy, hence concerted efforts should be made by government at all levels to grow the sector.
Angya said, “there is no way we can diversify the economy without the active development and involvement of the MSMEs. They are the secret of economic prosperity, let the state governments in Nigeria help MSMEs in our localities to survive and then SON as the regulator would come in, accredit and certify them. We want the MSMEs to flood the industrial and economic environment of this country”.
He added that local industries and SMEs could accelerate industrial growth, adding that they remain vital towards job and employment creation and checking rural-urban drift.
The SON boss recalled that SON had recently flagged off a nation-wide sensitisation programme as well as 25 per cent subsidy on the sale on standards of MSMEs and that SON has also trained its staff for the purpose of assisting MSMEs.
He noted that national economies across the world have since become export driven, adding that Nigeria should look inwards in order to get the Backward Integration and economic diversification train on track.
He stressed that SON’s vision was to get closer to the people so that their goods and farm products would be up to global standard.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.