The Edo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting made-in-Edo goods to enhance economic growth and development, reassuring policies and reforms to ensure that businesses in the state thrive.
The Edo State Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Afishetu Braimoh, gave the assurance during a meeting with stakeholders, in Benin City, to review strategies for ensuring that locally made products are exported across the world.
Stakeholders at the meeting include farmers, traders, and officials from the Bank of Industry (BoI), Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN), and Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA), among others.
She said the vision for the Ministry is to drive economic growth and generate wealth through policies that make it easy to do business, promote investment and develop enterprises in Edo State.
Braimoh noted, “We need to empower and lift up our people to start up and grow their businesses, get access to finance and introduce their products to the market and also export these products.
“NADAC is in partnership with us as they are ready to create a friendly environment and improve the process to make it easier to do business in Edo State. It is worrisome that made-in Edo products find it difficult to get to the shelves in supermarkets.”
A farmer, Mr. Omorogbe Joseph, urged the officials of the Bank of Industry (BoI) to assist real farmers in the state with the right documentation to enable them to get opportunities for finance instead of creating the opportunity for political farmers to steal the advantage.
He added, “We are happy and encouraged by this stakeholders’ meeting. We appeal to BOI and Bank of Agriculture to make the processes of financial support (loans) easier and simple to enable farmers to utilize the opportunity of the loan to grow their businesses.”
Representative of BENCCIMA, Mrs. Aina Omo-Ojeinu called on the ministry to promote, support, and help entrepreneurs in Edo State develop local content, noting, “We urge the Edo State Government to ensure business linkages, access to market, and finance for entrepreneurs, and owners of small business in the state.”
Omondiagbe Christopher, who represented BOI, commended the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki for the sustained partnership with the bank, urging entrepreneurs and small business owners in the state to take advantage of the financial opportunities created by the bank to improve their business and contribute to the development of the State.
