Loveth Okoli
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has inaugurated Jigawa State Council for the implementation of the National Policy on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the state level.
The Director General of the agency, Dr Dikko Raddah, said the council was inaugurated to facilitate the access of MSMEs to all resources required for their development.
Raddah, who was represented by Mr Ahmad Madaki, the SMEDAN’s Coordinator Northwest, said the agency was established in 2003 to facilitate the development of MSMEs sector in a structured and efficient manner.
“Our mandate is working in conjunction with other institutions in both public and private sector to create a good enabling environment for businesses in genres, and MSMEs activities in particular.
“You may wish to note that the first ever National Policy on MSMEs was formulated in 2006 with support from the UNDP and other relevant stakeholders. Between then and now, there has been a four-yearly review of the Nation Policy.
“The current review has just been completed and awaiting FEC approval,” Radda said.
He explained that the main objective of the National Policy is to facilitate and sustain a vibrant MSMEs sub-sector which is the driver of a national economic growth and employment.
The director general said this would be accomplished by accelerating the profitable expansion of existing MSMEs along chain of development, ensuring that more micro businesses become small, small become medium and medium become large.
According to him, the gesture will enable the MSMEs to increase their contribution to GDP and employment generation.
“In line with the dictates of the National Policy on MSMEs, the National Council was inaugurated on 4th September, 2014.
“The Council is the coordinating and highest policy making body in MSMEs sub-sector.
“The council is headed by the Vice President of the federation and it reports to the President for the final approval of its recommendations,” he said.
Radda said that the policy had provided for State Council on MSMEs which is to be headed by state governor or any of his designate with membership cutting across federal government agencies in the state and other relevant stakeholders.
He said the state council was expected to foster awareness and ensure stakeholders buy-in on MSMEs development programmes.
The director general said that the council was also expected to initiatives, projects, address and resolve all cross cutting issues affecting the development of the MSMEs sub-sector.
Other functions of the council he said are to ensure synergy among MSMEs related agencies in the state, ensure National Policy on MSMEs meets the intended goals and submit periodic reports to the National Council on MSMEs.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Mr
Lawan Baba, said the Jigawa government had initiated various policies geared towards promoting and enhancing MSMEs as demonstrated in its contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
“Therefore, having state council on the implementation of the National Policy on MSMEs is timely and would go a long way in fast tracking economic development of the state and make business easy, as well as improve the wellbeing of people of Jigawa state,” Baba said.
He called on the council members to work tirelessly and ensure synergy among all stakeholders in order to achieve the set objectives.
Also speaking, the Vice President of Jigawa State Chamber of Commerce, Mr Awwal Garba, noted that MSMEs had contributed between eighty and ninety per cent of job creation in the state.
