The Federal Government has disbursed N250,000 in unconditional grants to outstanding small business owners in Ondo State, as part of its ongoing nationwide intervention to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced the disbursement during the launch of the seventh edition of the Expanded National MSMEs Clinics in Akure, described the gesture as a practical demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to grassroots enterprise development.
He said: “In line with President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering support for grassroots enterprises, every outstanding exhibiting MSME identified during this clinic will receive an unconditional grant of N250,000.
“This is not a loan. It is a gift from the Nigerian people to the champions of local industry. It is our way of saying: ‘we see you; we value you, and we believe in your journey,’” Shettima declared.
Highlighting the pivotal role of MSMEs in Nigeria’s economy, the Vice President noted that they account for over 90 per cent of businesses, contribute more than 45 per cent to GDP, and provide employment for over 60 million Nigerians.
In his remarks, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to MSME development, noting that his government’s seven-point agenda had recorded successes across sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and fashion.
The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in a goodwill message, lauded the initiative as the first deliberate attempt by any Nigerian government to align development with the grassroots.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, praised both the federal and Ondo State governments for their contributions to the MSME sector. The Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr Charles Odii, said the clinics were already delivering results, with feedback from participants in Ondo and previous host states.
Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, MrTemitola Adekunle-Johnson, also described the initiative as a success, citing real-time resolutions of regulatory issues as one of its key wins.
Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the Ondo State Council of Chiefs, Vice President Shettima described President Tinubu as a “son of the South West” and a “man of courage,” referencing key reforms such as fuel subsidy removal, curbing multiple taxation, and reviving the Lagos-Badagry-
Calabar Highway corridor.
IN another development, the Federal Government has said it will recruit, train and deploy about 70,000 Community-based Health workers (CBHWs) by 2029 to deliver essential services, including immunisation, health education, and epidemic surveillance, while fostering trust and community ownership.
The plan is to have one community-based health worker per 250 households, targeting 160 million people, reaching underserved communities, closing health equity gaps, and building the foundation of resilient public health systems.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Muyi Aina, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of Continental Community Health Consultation, organised by the African Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to validate the 2024 Community Health Landscape Survey, and together define the roadmap for reaching the AU’s target of 2 million CHWs by 2030.
Aina said NPHCDA, in collaboration with states and partners, had redesigned the community health programme to provide more relevant services to be delivered by professional community health workers.
