Reps Committed To SMEs’ Growth – Hon Alabi

The House of Representatives is committed to the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs),  a member representing  Egbeda/ Ona-Ara federal constituency of Oyo State in the green chamber,Hon. Akin Alabi has said.

He added that the House will not turn down budget proposals targeted at ensuring the  growth of SMEs in the country.

Alabi spoke with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the inauguration of Entrepreneurs Network, where 10 individuals business owners got one Million naira grant each to grow their businesses.

The lawmaker  who was the keynote speaker at the event, said members of the House of Representatives  have never for once in about four years “declined” to approve appropriation bills that  will encourage the growth of SMEs.

He,however, said :  “One of the mistakes people make before starting a business is that they decide their products before  identifying the markets.”

Earlier, the convener of the network, Ahmed Lawal said the essence of the scheme was to bring individual business owners together under one umbrella  that will promote and grow their businesses.

He said the network which has in its fold over 1,000 individual business owners was proposing the establishment of a microfinance bank to further assist members with loan facilities to grow their businesses.

Kwara central  senatorial  candidate of the All Progressives  Congress (APC ), Mal. Saliu Mustapha who announced a donation of N5m grants to support the initiative by lahmad concepts, also promised to pursue legislation that will encourage more investment in human capital development and skills acquisition.