GOV DICKSON DONATES N250M TO SME TRUST FUND, URGES MULTI-NATIONALS TO CONTRIBUTE TO FUND

GOV DICKSON DONATES N250M TO SME TRUST FUND, URGES MULTI-NATIONALS TO CONTRIBUTE TO FUND

 Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson has made an initial donation of N250 million to the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Trust Fund in the state. Governor Dickson made the donation at the Small and Medium scale Enterprises Summit, MSME Opportunity Fair and Entrepreneurial Capacity Building Workshop with the theme, “Re-Orientation; A Necessary Key To Wealth Creation and Restoration Through SMEs”, in Yenagoa, the State capital. 

The Governor urged all, especially the multinational oil companies operating in the state to donate generously to the trust fund; stressing that working together they could enthrone enduring peace and stability in the state for businesses to thrive. He also enjoined businessmen and women to adopt the young entrepreneurs in the state’s mentorship programme, describing SMEs as a catalyst for self-reliance and industrial development.

 While highlighting the challenges bedeviling the sector in the state, Hon. Dickson decried the situation where Bayelsa has been turned into what he referred to as “a dumping ground” as 90 percent of what the people consume is produced outside the state. To tackle the problem militating against SMEs, the Governor advocated that empowerment programmes should be targeted at more women than men as they hold the key to fighting poverty.

 In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr. Ayakeme Massah, stressed the importance of small businesses in the creation of wealth and jobs to grow the economy of the state. The Senior Special Assistant on SMEs, Mr. Ebiekare Eradiri presented a summary of the report of the state’s SME Mentoring Scheme and noted that a N10 billion target is expected in the SMEs Development Trust Fund.

 Representative of the Director General of SMEDAN, Mr. Olawale Fasanya, said the agency was in the state to address the problems associated with SMEs.    In their separate speeches, the South African Counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs, Thandi Nkowati and Guest Speaker living in the United Kingdom, Chief Bimbo Afolayan, said SMEs play a vital role in economies especially developing ones as they contribute 57 percent to Gross Domestic Product. They identified inability to access funds and skills as challenges in the sector and advocated partnership with the Small and Medium scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN).  

 Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State