Local government chairmen in Delta State have begun discussions with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria on ways to expand businesses and create jobs in rural communities.
The engagement was held on Tuesday at the SMEDAN headquarters in Abuja during a meeting between the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Charles Odii, and the Delta State delegation led by the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in the state, Isaiah Onoriode Esiovwa.
The meeting focused on using local government structures to promote rural industrialisation, support micro, small and medium enterprises and improve access to enterprise development programmes.
Odii said local governments had an important role to play in taking government economic programmes to communities.
He said SMEDAN would continue to partner with sub-national governments to empower entrepreneurs, create sustainable jobs and develop the productive capacity of local communities.
According to him, the agency’s approach is in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda of creating opportunities for Nigerians to improve their livelihoods.
The SMEDAN boss said stronger collaboration with local governments would help ensure that enterprise development programmes reached more people at the grassroots.
The Delta delegation also toured SMEDAN’s facilities after the meeting and was taken through the agency’s operational and innovation hubs designed to support entrepreneurs and MSMEs.
The engagement is expected to strengthen collaboration between SMEDAN and Delta’s 25 local government areas in expanding opportunities for small businesses and promoting economic activities in rural communities.
The delegation expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu’s administration for what it described as efforts to create an enabling environment for small businesses amid global inflationary pressures.
The participants also said continued support for MSMEs remained important to job creation and economic growth at the grassroots.
