By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government is set to establish a world-class fashion hub in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, as part of efforts to boost small businesses in the Northcentral state’s tailoring cluster.
The Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Expanded National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinics in Makurdi, tagged Benue Open for Business, saying President Bola Tinubu will unveil the ultra-modern fashion hub in the next 90 days.
“President Bola Ahmed has unveiled the plan to establish a world-class fashion hub in Makurdi for use by small businesses in the tailoring cluster in the state.
“This hub will be ready in 90 days. We are glad that the pioneering spirit of Benue State has set the stage for a transformative MSME Clinic train,” he said.
The VP said the project was not just a fulfilment of President Tinubu’s promise of job creation and accessible capital to Nigerians, but also an homage to the unparalleled spirit of industriousness that defined the people of Benue State.
According to him, Benue is a land known for its commitment to hard work, excellence in art, pursuit of creativity, elevation of agriculture, and promotion of commerce.
“These stand as a testament to the remarkable productivity engraved within the core of Benue State. The reputation earned by the diligent efforts of every person in this food basket of the nation is a beacon of inspiration for us all, and I am honoured to join you today.
“There is a reason we are holding this expanded National MSME Clinics, the first of its kind by this administration in this beautiful state. It is to recognise the role Benue State has played in offering the nation a means of trade, and a vehicle for driving the MSME subsector towards our objective,” Mr Shettima said.
He said the clinics would stand as a symbol of empowerment, a nexus where dreams would meet opportunities, where innovation thrives, and where the spirit of entrepreneurship is nurtured by strategic governance, urging Nigerians to seize this moment to forge a path of prosperity, leverage the resources at the country’s disposal, to create a thriving ecosystem for the growth and success of its micro, small, and medium enterprises.
“Every business owner, whether in Makurdi or Oturkpo, Gboko or Katsina-Ala, must consider themselves a priority of this government. The extended National MSME Clinics aim to unite regulatory bodies in the MSME sub-sector with MSMEs and investors across small business clusters.
“They are also here to offer solutions to critical barriers hindering the growth of these enterprises in Nigeria. Today I am joined by heads of esteemed agencies, all valuable partners in our commitment to job creation and supporting MSMEs.
“Furthermore, we’ve engaged the full support of the private sector and numerous other entities in this endeavour. These clinics are turning points in our quest to guarantee the ease of doing business,” he explained.
The Vice President said the federal government, towards this end, had set aside N75 billion, a nine per cent single-digit loan from the Bank of Industry(BOI).
“Mr President is committed to resolving the bottlenecks affecting the MSME space in Nigeria, and will persist until these issues are resolved.”
Modupe Gbadeyanka