Ekiti State government through the Office of the Director General Microfinance and Enterprise Development and Office of Director General Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity have met with the various bodies of the private sector in the state to strategize on workable collaboration to promote economic development.
Anchoring the meeting was Special Assistant Private Sector, Hon. Aladeloyo Adedeji (Oroya) who highlighted that the state government is doing everything seemingly possible to enhance the informal sector.
Addressing Stakeholders at the event, Director General Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity Mr. Ogunjobi Olanrewaju said the government of John Kayode Fayemi recognizes the informal sector as an important sector not by appointing an officer to take charge of the desk but to support the sector with a number of intervention programmes to harness the potentials in job creation, income and revenue generation and economic growth and development.
“On Capacity building schemes, the government will design training workshops to assist practitioners to upscale their skills. Obviously there are gaps in different which include; Housing, Construction, Production of Interlock Pavers, Metal and Aluminum fabrication.
“Some of the schemes include; the Proposed collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing; Proposed collaboration with other agencies such as Federal Ministry of Science and Technology,” he said.
Other proposition include; collaboration with industry leaders such as Dangote Portland Cement Plc./Lafarge Portland Plc. on concrete technology for artisans in the building industry (bricklayers, block producers, interlock paver producers, etc.)
Also Speaking, Director General Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency, Otunba Kayode Fasae mentioned the intervention on working capital empowerment.
The government is aware of the need to render support to genuine workmen, artisans and craftsmen in various industries. It is also important to let you know that there is no free money; you must be ready to take loans that will be repaid.
“Some of the loan facility we are currently working on include; the Central Bank of Nigeria Schemes for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Ekiti State Government/Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency Schemes for MSMEs, the Entrepreneurship Development Fund among others.
“To qualify for the above lined up government support, MEDA will advise relevant persons to embrace capacity building and genuineness to comply with the requirement for the funding empowerment schemes. Artisans much show commitment towards self-development and at the same time demonstrate capacity to manage finances provided for their various businesses/trades,” he said.
Speaking on current loan repayment activities; Fasae noted that the Agency, through organised Microfinance banks in Ekiti state, have recovered Thirty Million and Three Hundred Thousand Naira from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund disbursed to businesses in the state.
Stakeholder present at the meeting include; Senior Special Assistant on Mobilisation, Prince Tunji Ognlola; Project Manager, Odua Chamber of Commerce who also represented the President of Ekiti State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (EKICCMA) Chief Kola Akosile; Media Assistant to SSA on Mobilisation, Adeagbo Alabi; Representatives of Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), NAPPMED Association, Nigerian Institute of Building (Ekiti State), Association of Women Professional Builders (Ekiti State), Pick-Up and Lorry Association (Ekiti State), Ekiti Computer Technician/Product Association among others.
