News

South East has Potentials to Drive National Economic Growth – Deputy Speaker

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…hail President Tinubu’s support to small, medium scale businesses

By Gloria Ikibah

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has said that the South East region has great potentials to drive national and economic development, as it is home to some of the most enterprising individuals and communities in the country, with a rich history of commerce that spans generations.

Kalu stated this while delivering his goodwill message, at the launch of the 5th Expanded National MSME Clinic in Enugu State by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday.

The initiative is one of the federal government’s strategies for ease of doing business in Nigeria, with the first, second, third and fourth editions launched in Benue, Ogun, Ekiti and Jigawa States respectively.

The Deputy Speaker stated that locating the 5th Expanded National MSME Clinic in Enugu is another proof that the South East region holds a special place in administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as it recognizes the region’s potential to drive national economic growth through MSMEs.

He also stated that the MSME Hub in Enugu is not just a facility; but a vital and strategic platform that taps into the latent economic power of the South East.

Kalu noted that the hub was well-positioned to bridge the gap between ambition and opportunity, empowering the hardworking men and women of the region to transform their dreams into successful enterprises, even as he expressed optimism that it will serve as a center of innovation, providing entrepreneurs with the resources, training, and mentorship they need to scale their businesses.

The Deputy Speaker also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President doe their commitment to supporting Nano, Micro, Small, and Medium-Scale Enterprises (NMSMEs), noting that the government’s strategic interventions are directly targeted at removing the obstacles small business owners face, and their efforts has created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He also commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah for his efforts in prioritizing small and medium scale businesses in Enugu, with collaborative efforts between the Federal Government and the State.

Speaking further, the Deputy Speaker reiterated the commitment to the 10th House of Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, towards supporting economic growth and entrepreneurship using legislative instruments.

He said that the parliament is aware that a conducive legislative framework is critical to the success of initiatives such as the MSME Clinics, hence why they have sponsored an adoption of the famous Igbo Apprenticeship System, the Igba-Boi System into a National Apprenticeship Scheme, adding that the bill is currently at a crucial stage of consideration in the House of Representatives.

Kalu said, “I bring you all warm greetings from the Speaker and all the members of the House of Representatives. This event not only symbolizes our collective commitment to the growth and sustainability of MSMEs in Nigeria. Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have witnessed bold steps that are breathing new life into Nigeria’s economy.

“Today, we acknowledge the monumental strides taken with the introduction of various funding schemes tailored to support businesses across the nation. The establishment of three funds totaling N200 billion, including the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme (PCGS), the FGN MSME Intervention Fund, and the FGN Manufacturing Sector Fund, is a testament to President Tinubu’s recognition of the critical role MSMEs play in driving sustainable growth. The Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme (PCGS), providing financial support to nano business owners with a N50 billion grant, is reaching one million small businesses nationwide. By supporting sectors such as food services, ICT, artisanship, and more, this scheme ensures that even the smallest enterprises are not left behind in the journey toward economic prosperity.

“As we gather here in Enugu for the commissioning of this strategic MSME Hub, we must acknowledge the significance of this location. The South East zone of Nigeria has long been renowned for its entrepreneurship and industrious spirit. It is no secret that this region stands as a beacon of commerce, apprenticeship, and innovation, and establishing this hub is a direct recognition of the entrepreneurial dynamism that flourishes here. In a zone known for its industrious culture, this hub will harness that energy, creating a thriving ecosystem where businesses can flourish, create jobs, and contribute to Nigeria’s economic prosperity. It also feeds into our Peace in South Project (PISE-P) ethos of a non-kinetic approach to engineering peace and prosperity in the South East. Let us leave here today with renewed hope—hope in the potential of our small businesses, hope in the resilience of our people, and hope in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Sen. Kashim Shettima, whose commitment to the progress of Nigeria remains steadfast. Thank you, and may we continue to strive toward a prosperous future for all Nigerians.”

News

Denzel Washington reveals he is part Nigerian

Published

51 minutes ago

November 16, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Famous American actor, Denzel Washington has revealed he has Nigerian ancestry.

The ‘Gladiator II’ actor disclosed that his heritage test shows that he is 90 per cent Irish and 10 per cent Nigerian.

Washington spoke in a recent interview with British-Nigerian media personality, Ada Enechi.

“I am 10 per cent Nigerian and 90 per cent Irish,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Denzel Washington has hinted at retirement.

The 69-year-old thespian disclosed during a press tour of his latest movie ‘Gladiator II’ in Australia that ‘Black Panther 3’ is one of his last films before retirement.
He said he would be retiring after shooting ‘Black Panther 3’, ‘Othello 2’ and ‘King Lear.’

News

Police parade 20 suspected armed robbers, others in Osun

Published

51 minutes ago

November 16, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

About 20 suspected criminals arrested for various crimes across Osun State, including three suspected highway armed robbers, were on Friday paraded by the state police command.

Presenting the suspects to journalists, the spokesperson for the police, Yemisi Opalola, said the armed robbery suspects, Olajide Kareem (28), Mike Emmanuel (33), and Godwin Emmanuel (23) were arrested along Osu/Ilesa road.

Opalola said the suspects, during their operations robbed many people of their jewelries, phones cash, and other valuables.

She added that during one of the robbery incidents, a bus driver was shot in the leg, while a female passenger was raped by one of the suspects.

Also paraded was Emmanuel Anthony, accused of using military uniforms to rob passengers along Ekiti road, where he forced a victim from Esa Oke, to transfer a sum of N3m to his account.

Anthony was also accused of robbing other people of their mobile phones valued at N1.25m.

Seven other suspects arrested for conspiracy, armed robbery and receipt of stolen vehicles, were also paraded.

News

Four northern states in darkness as transmission lines trip

Published

1 hour ago

November 16, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Four northern states of Gombe, Bauchi, Benue and Plateau have been thrown into darkness, due to a fault on the 330kV double circuit transmission lines of Ugwuji-Makurdi-Jos.

The states are among the franchise area of Jos Electricity Distribution Company.

According to the Head of Corporate Communications, JEDC, Friday Elijah, the tripping of the lines occurred in the afternoon on Friday, resulting in the loss of power supply on all the 33KV feeders.”

He disclosed that the Transmission Company of Nigeria engineers were working to rectify the fault.

“We hope to restore normal power supply to our esteemed customers as soon as the fault is rectified and power supply is restored back to normalcy,” said Elijah.