OGUN MSMEs STAKEHOLDERS, OPERATIVES TASKED ON WORLD BANK BUSINESS REGULATIONS Stakeholders and operators of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ogun State have been tasked to adopt the Doing Business methodology enunciated by the World Bank to enhance and boost their capabilities of improving employment opportunities and income generation. The Head of Programme, German Agency for International Development (GIZ-SEDIN), Christian Widmann gave this charged in Abeokuta at a training workshop for major stakeholders in MSMEs across the State. Widmann submitted that the Doing business methodology presents quantitative indicators on business regulation affecting 11 stages which include starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, getting credit and paying taxes among others. He said presently in the State, GIZ has been focusing on four key areas meant to reform the financial sector, creating business enabling environment on State and Local Level, facilitating of trade and promoting value chain in Cassava and Construction. Widmann noted that in the last two years, GIZ had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Pro-Poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria Programme (SEDIN) with the Ogun State Government just as a number of Microfinance Banks have been assessed and strengthened with various trainings and workshops, while a One Stop Investment Centre and a Business Advocacy Group in the State had been facilitated. Other areas of programme focus were the establishment of Business Development Committees at Local Government Area levels to support advocacy activities, just as Cassava farmer groups and cooperatives were formed and linked with processors. Stakeholders of the Construction Value Chain have jointly developed a roadmap to improve the housing situation in Ogun state. MSMEs have been sensitized on requirements for trading across borders and a monitoring tool TRIMS (Trade Route Incidence Mapping) has been developed and is in the first steps of implementation. All these initiatives aimed at improving state reforms, strengthening the private sector and civil society in order to improve livelihoods of the people in Ogun state., Widmann noted. In her opening remarks, Special Adviser to the Governor on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello noted that government has been partnering with international organizations in its effort to bring meaningful development to the State and encouraging vocational training and skill acquisition. She said government is committed to the GIZ activities in the State, noting that the workshop would create an opportunity for both the government and GIZ to fashion out the way forward in improving on vocational trainings and skill acquisitions for the citizenry
Posted on: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 16:43:04 +0000