By Onwa Ekor
The federal government, in conjunction with the Cross River government, recently held the 8th Expanded National MSME Clinic in Calabar.
The gesture, aimed at reinforcing commitment to support small businesses, saw beneficiaries carting home N250,000 each.
According to the Nation’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, “the MSME Clinics bring government support directly to entrepreneurs.”
Shettima further announced ₦250,000 unconditional grants for outstanding businesses during the exhibition.
On his part, Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, pledged to continue giving hope to MSMEs for their growth, informing that over 3,500 entrepreneurs have been trained through the Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), in the state.
CEO of Cross River MEDA, Great Ogban, expressed optimism on the impact of the initiative, especially when economic development is measured.
Ogban said, “this clinic fosters innovation and builds a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and Special Adviser Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, who were in the VP’s entourage, reaffirmed government’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by entrepreneurs nationwide.
Also in the Vice President entourage was the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii, among other top government functionaries.
