By Haruna Aliyu usman,Birnin Kebbi
The vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria professor Yemi osinbajo Thursday was received at the Ahmadu Bello international airport Birnin Kebbi,he was in the state for the formal launch of small scale and meduim enterprises.
He was received at the airport when his plane touched the ground around 12 noon by the four emirs of the state their royal highnesses emir of Gwadu,Argungu,Yauri and Zuru,at the airport also were the former governor of kebbi state Saidu Nasamu Dakin gari,top government officials and political echelons in the state,on arrival he was taken straight to the venue of the event waziri umaru federal polytechnic where he inspected exhibition on display by the programme beneficiaries, he later joined the crowd.
Earlier, in her welcome address the permanent secretary Kebbi state ministry of commerce, trade and industries Hajiya Fatima Ango formerly welcome the vice president to kebbi state she added that what he saw was the handiwork of what she and stakeholders put together to ensure the success of the 24th edition Of the programme.
She noted that,the motive behind the SMSME is to create wealth and diversify the economy to benefit both parties as partners in progress She said.
In his speech,the vice president formerly launched the programm, he said that at the exhibition he interacted with at least four hundred traders,he mentioned that he met engineer Dan warai who produced a tractor which he saud evidently showed that Nigeria can produce its farm equipments,osinbajo also met a young writer Yusuf sulaiman who wrote a comic book as a Jss student.
The Nigeria’s second citizen also called on NAFDAC,SON and other relevant bodies to remove bottlenecks on how to access funds for small businesses in order to encourage people with business initiatives, he reminded them that they not a profit making bodies but partners in progress and a ladder which can be used to get to business destinations of potential traders.
He added that so far at least eight of the country have implemented the program and have made remarkable success.
On Agriculture osinbajo lauded the efforts of Kebbi state governor his Excellency Senator Atiku Bagudu for his breakthrough in Agriculture saying kebbi alone can feed the entire nation with rice and other farm products.
In his response, the governor of kebbi state Senator Bagudu welcome the vice president to Kebbi state,he said he is not a stranger in the state as this was his second coming, he was here last year to commission WACOT rice mill and now to launch SNSMEs,he told osinbajo that as part of his efforts to ensure the growth of small scale business, the state government expanded the sum of 300m to fishing and another 950m to NURTW and other organized unions in the state,in addition to that the governor said emirs are involved in disbursement and assessment of those who are qualified to access the soft loans to boost their businesses, he thanked him for the visit and promise him that SNSMEs has come to stay in Kebbi.
The last lap of his the occasion was the commissioning of market at Ambursa and some completed shops at the central market Birnin Kebbi.
