Director-General of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), Mr. Great Ogban
By PATRICK ABANG Calabar –
Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade has tasked entrepreneurs and business students on the emerging trends and opportunities in line with his Industrialization policy in the state.
Governor Ayade made the call during the Cross River State Entrepreneurship Conference which was held over the weekend in Calabar with the theme: “Economic Growth Industrialization, Job Creation and SMEs Catalyst.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that the conference is part of activities organized by the state government to mark the 2022 Global Entrepreneurship Week.
The Global Entrepreneurship Week is an event organized to celebrate innovators and job creators, who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.
The governor, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Entrepreneurship Development, Great Ogban celebrated entrepreneurs and business students, who were drawn from the University of Calabar and Cross River State University.
According to him, the event was to enable existing entrepreneurs and business students acquire skills and knowledge in business-startup among other opportunities.
On his part, The Director General of Small, Medium and Entrepreneurship Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Olawale Fasanya, said no fewer than 90 entrepreneurs in the state have received equipment and vocational training in fashion, leather works amongst others.
Mr. Fasanya said as a result of the agency’s determinations to address the challenges confronting the MSMES in the country, SMEDAN is implementing the one Local Government-One Product in one hundred and nine (109) Senatorial District of the country.
The SMEDAN DG, who was represented by Fortune Etu, noted that the small business sub-sector is a critical aspect of the Nigerian economy which is the catalyst for economic growth.
He said small businesses collectively account for the majority of the enterprises in Nigeria and also creates the highest number of jobs.
The guest speaker, Nsa Ekpeyong, who is a business mogul in the oil and gas sector, urged the entrepreneurs in the state to make good use of the opportunities provided for them by the state government and be focused in what ever they are doing.
He urged them to create values for themselves and make positive decisions to succeed in what they want to achieved.
Also speaking, one of the entrepreneurs, Mr. Bola Omodele commended Governor Ben Ayade for his Industrialization policies and revolution particularly the cocoa factory in Ikom, the Calachika factory, the rice seedlings, among other investment initiated by the state government.
He therefore urged the entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the Governor Ayade led administration by investing in agricultural value chain.
