In an attempt to further support citizens in the area of economic independence for socio-economic development of the state, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state, effected the training of over 600 Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs), through Cottage Industries and Street Hawkers Directorate.
While he commended the Directorate’s unrelenting commitment, all the beneficiaries are currently awaiting appraisal and subsequent disbursement of soft loans from Jaiz Bank, Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of the Directorate, Alhaji Uba Tanko Mijinyawa (Danzainab) at a recent event to showcase, to the governor and public, the feats achieved by the Directorate in 11 months of establishment. Which took place at Africa House, Government House, Kano.
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To achieve business continuity and efficiency, the Directorate joins hands with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Micro Finance Bank and Development Finance Office of CBN to consolidate the idea of Business Clinic.
It was after some level of engagements that, CBN recognizes the Clinic to be one of their approved Enterprise Development Institute (EDI) for all CBN/NIRSAL loan applications. Development appreciated by the governor.
For improved financial inclusion, governor Ganduje directed that awareness creation campaign gets necessary attention throughout the process. That prompted engagement with Radio Kano, Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), Aminci Radio, Kano, Prestigious Bridge Institute, Kaduna, and Enterprise Development Centre of Pan -Atlantic University, Lagos.
Danzainab further explained that “The Kano State Business Clinic is in partnership with one of the leading commercial banks in the country, First Bank of Nigeria Plc where the bank is opening accounts/BVN to MSMEs in Kano at no cost to them. Over 5,000 MSMEs have benefitted from this singular exercise.”
For the street hawkers to be brought to limelight for enhancing their financial inclusion status, the DG hinted that the Business Clinic guided over 2500 hawkers and MSMEs in the for the Federal Government/CBN Survival Fund application.
Also, the Clinic, according to Danzainab, partnered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Kano Zonal Office, “… and Kano aggregator and facilitated over 1,500 FREE Business name registration for MSMEs in the state,” he confirmed. The presentation of which took place recently.
Governor Ganduje’s show of commitment and unparalleled political will, to push entrepreneurs to a higher pedestal, as observed by Danzainab, were the main reasons why “…NIRSAL MFB agreed to add 7 additional branches in the state. In Sabon Gari, Katsina road, Tudun Wada, Rano, Gwarzo, Gyadi-gyadi and Bichi respectively.
So far 4 more additional branches were added already in Bompai, Sabon Gari, Rano and Tudunwada.”
Encouraging Kano’s timely initiative in this direction, Business Clinic is also recognised by the Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, as one of their key partners in the sector.
On that basis, Danzainab hinted, “…our partnership and coordination of their Kano town hall meeting with stakeholders on their program called ARTISAN AND TRANSPORT SUPPORT SCHEME to key into the MSME Survival Fund of the Federal government, paved many opportunities for the state.”
Adding that, “The business clinic has so far registered over 25,000 active MSMEs in the state in which over 4,000 have counselled and diagnosed by the consultant of the clinic FREE of charge.”
According to him, governor Ganduje directed them to extend the operations of Business Clinic to all the 44 local governments in the state. And to also include civil servants who attained 30 years of service, “So that they can also benefit after their retirement. We also our registered participants into the various empowerment programmes of the state government,” he explains.
To also reach people at the grassroots, the Directorate introduced an outreach business clinic in Ganduje town, Dawakin Tofa local government, as a pilot exercise. “Where more than 400 women and men were sensitized and diagnosed. They all secured opportunities to open accounts with our business clinic partner bank First Bank of Nigeria, with BVN all FREE of charge,” he reveals.
