Governor Zulum presenting cheque to some of the SMEs beneficiaries in Maiduguri.
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Wednesday in Maiduguri, flagged off the third phase of the state government credit and grants disbursement to 4250 SMEs totalling about N850 million.
The governor also commissioned Alpha Mechanic village for 416 mechanics comprising of technicians of automobile tricycles and generators, alongside the disbursement of soft loans and grants to them .
He said the decision to construct the site and disburse loans to the associations was aimed at empowering them and addressing unemployment as well as to drive the socio economic growth and development of the state through job creation.
On his part, The Borno State Commissioner of Higher Education, Science and Technology and Innovation, Engr. Mustapha Malumbe, commended the governor for his efforts and support to the youths, while noting that the project was part of the 25 years development plan on human capital development designed to actualize increased employment opportunities and decent work particularly for the youths by stimulating a vibrant economic sector in the state.
He added that the 10 strategic transformation initiative for human capital development has employability, entrepreneurships, lifelong learning and incentive with key activities of establishments of a technocracy center in each LGA.
The commissioner noted that the ministry had liaised with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) on how to promote lifelong learning and providing quality assurance and recognition in the state which is the main aim of the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework flagged off by the Federal Government.
He explained that NSQF is formerly the National Vocational Qualifications Framework, is a system for the development, classification and recognition of skills , knowledge and competence acquired by individuals, irrespective of where and how the training or skill was acquired
Engr. Malumbe added that the system gives a clear statement of what the learner must know or be able to do whether the learning took place in a formal or informal set up.
“It is important to regulate and recognize training provided at the non formal settings which has positive contribution to the economy and could close the skills gap created by mismatch of curricular a d need of Industry in the country.
He assured that this mechanic village a d those coming up will surely close the gap created by the mismatch in the needs of the Industry while calling on public and private enterprises to support the government to provide better performance and services , enhance employability and reduce poverty in the state.
The Commissioner urged the governor to continue to support the ministry and its initiatives as well as provide some facilities at the village as NBTE would assess the performance of the trained participants.
The Managing Director and CEO, Renaissance Micro Finance Limited Maiduguri, Associate Professor Ibrahim Bello Alhaji said the first phase of the N1bn budgeted loan/grant scheme to SMEs under the present admibsitration was flagged off by the Governor at the Government House Maiduguri last year, 2020, where over 24,200 beneficiaries were drawn from MMC and Jere LGA.
He added that early this year, 2021, the second phase was launched in Biu town with SMEs in Biu, Gwoza, Ngala and some more from MMC and Jere LGA, totalling 13,150 beneficiaries. He added that the micro finance bank also disbursed over N350 million to 2000 SMEs under the SBGFDE loan and only last year , the sum of N280 million was disbursed to 2,200 business men and women SMEs in Banki town of Bama LGA under the Rural Support Facility (RSF).
The MD/CEO said today, over N2.5 billion has been disbursed to 32,000 WSEs across the 27 LGAs of the state in the last two years. But this figure excludes the N850 million to be disbursed today to a total number of 4,250 SMEs drawn from across the 27 LGAs as beneficiaries.