By Chesa Chesa
Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday commissioned ultra-modern Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinics as well as fashion and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Speaking at the event, he pointed to the development as just the beginning of greater things to come under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Shettima expressed confidence that the hub would match global standards, with the potential to create roughly 48,000 jobs annually in the state.
The VP, who was represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, noted that the speed at which the hub was built after the MSMEs Clinic was launched in the state earlier this year is a clear indication that promises made by the Tinubu administration to entrepreneurs are not mere rhetoric.
He stated: “Today, as we commission this dual-purpose MSME Clinic, we bear witness to two critical truths. First, it proves that our promises to entrepreneurs are not mere rhetoric.
“Secondly, it affirms that the most durable interventions we can achieve as a government are born from strong intergovernmental partnerships. We are delighted to witness the fruition of these projects, and I am honoured to be part of this milestone.”
Senator Shettima explained that the Benue Fashion & ICT Hub and other hubs as well as shared facilities established across Nigeria are the federal government’s intervention targeted at fostering a conducive business and regulatory environment for MSMEs in the country to thrive and prosper.
The Benue MSME Hub, according to him, is one of the largest ever commissioned by the federal government.
He said: “With over 200 pieces of cutting-edge equipment to support fashion manufacturing and more than 100 ICT devices in the cluster, this hub has the capacity to ramp up production, provide ICT training, and achieve economies of scale.
“It is equipped to produce a wide range of fashion items, including military uniforms, school uniforms, and corporate wear, both for Benue State and beyond.
“Beyond providing this cluster, the hub will also house a one-stop shop where MSMEs can engage directly with Federal Government agencies to resolve their regulatory issues.”
