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Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has cited paucity of funds as a major challenge mitigating against its discharge of duties.
This is however hinged on the constant poor budget provision.
The steady challenge has thus forced many Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to lose confidence in the agency which had inadvertently affected SMEDAN’s responsibilities to its patrons.
L-R: State Correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria Alhaji Abdulfatai Beki, The Chapel Chairman Alhaji Abdulhakeem Garba with other members of the Chapel during the seminar.
A Senior Administrative Officer in SMEDAN, Adava Oyiza Ometere at an ongoing annual three-day Press Week organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kwara State Council however added that until the rebirth of microfinance institutions, the threatening situation may remain unabated.
Correspondents’ Chapel members in a photograph with the management of Pinnacles Resort Centre, Offa, Kwara State on 4/9/2024
According to the entrepreneurship expert, who addressed Journalists on Wednesday at the Pinnacles Resources Centre, Offa, the agency, under the present paucity of funds couldn’t really reach out to its targets at the grassroots.
She lamented that: “there are lot of programmes we run but it’s just that we can’t reach out to the grassroots financially.”
2024 Press Week Committee members in a photograph with senior management of Pinnacles Resort Centre, Offa.
Adava also added the populace/patrons are often confronted by lack of accessibility to information about federal government’s policy especially in areas of their interests.
Still on the challenges facing SMEDAN, Adava urged the federal government to strengthen capacity building to be able to monitor the growth of SMEs.
L-R: Mrs Bushra Yusuf Badmus, Kayode Abdulazeez and Miss Mosummola Ayobami.
On the present economic hardship, she enjoined all business operators to tally along and restrain from pulling down the curtain on their trades and business, urging: “don’t be discouraged, it shall soon be over.”
Highlights of the event was lecture which centered on enlightenment on areas of vacation for active or serving journalists as well as retired professionals.
Organizers of the Press Week said that the programme would continue on Thursday at Diamond Event Centre, Yidi Road Ilorin with a public lecture to be delivered by Professor Lukman Adeshina Azeez of the University of Ilorin and Senator Umar Suleiman Sadiq of Kwara North Senatorial District, on the topic: ‘Accountability and Transparency: How Journalism Can Foster Good Governance’ and ‘democracy good governance and Role of Citizens’ respectively.
His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is expected to be the special guest of honour.
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