The Vice president, Alhaji Kashim Shettima has commissioned and inspected the 5th expanded National Micro, Small, Medium enterprises, MSME, Clinic, and Fashion and Garment hubs both established in Enugu collaboration with the office of the Vice President and the state government.

The VP who arrived at the Akanu Ibian international airport Enugu at 12:30pm also inspected the Enugu International Conference Centre which is over 80 percent completed, the digital museum, as well as the Command and Control Centre located at the government house Enugu.

NaijaCentral Online reports that the VP described the development strides of governor Peter Mbah as unprecedented in Nigeria, assuring that the federal government would partner Enugu on the smart school initiative.

While stating that the MSME hub is aimed at bridging the gap between government and SMEs, Vice President Shettima attributed the problems of the South East to infrastructural deficit and promised that the federal government and the national assembly would collaborate to find a lasting solution for the development of the zone.

He reiterated president Bola Tinubu’s commitment to supporting the people of Enugu state through robust policies and programmes aimed at improving the living standards of the people.

The VP further announced that president Tinubu has awarded a grant of 150, 000 each to the outstanding MSMEs in the state, which reflects the commitment of the federal government to nurturing MSMEs and fostering economic growth in the state.

While stating that the fashion and garment hub is equipped with the state-of-the-art technology to support the fashion manufacturing textiles in Enugu state, and boost production capacity, Alhaji Shettima said it has the potential to produce many fashion products from military uniforms to school and corporate wears, meeting global standards and creating about 8,000 jobs.

Also speaking, the governor of Enugu state Dr Peter Mbah said the importance of the MSMEs can never be over emphasized as almost 90 percent of businesses in the country are small scale.

Dr Mbah noted that despite the importance of the MSMEs, their success is meagre as they thrive only through careful policies that enhance the ease of doing business climate, comprising key enablers like the sustained provision of infrastructure, security, efficient legal and regulatory framework among others.

He said the expanded National MSME Clinic hub provides a dynamic platform for MSMEs to access essential supports from government agencies and private sector stakeholders, noting that it offers on-the-spot solutions for business challenges such as regulatory approval, access to grants and low interest loans.