Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States branch has organized a stakeholders’ engagement meeting to interact with manufacturers on how to access funds to enhance their businesses and also solve issues common to business communities.

 

The meeting with the theme “Access to Finance and Cheaper Funding for Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria” took place at MAN Laison Office in Onitsha.

Speaking at the event, Governor Chukwuma Soludo said the state government has made funds available to support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

 

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Industry, Mr. Christian Udechukwu said the major aim of the meeting is for manufacturers to know where and how to access these funds.

Earlier in an address, the Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi states Branch, Lady Ada Chukwudozie called on government to provide investment incentives such as land, for manufacturers who want to invest.

 

According to her, these incentives will enable them to produce more, create jobs, and export more, which will also strengthen the Naira.

Lady Ada urged the people to prioritize agriculture and grow a garden of food crops rather than flowers and lauded the initiative of Governor Soludo who gave out one million palm seedlings to households, pointing out that in a space of one to two years the tree will produce fruits worth thousands of naira.

 

In a keynote address, the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, said they intend to partner Manufacturers Association of Nigeria on their “one product, one local government initiative” where each local government will be trained on at least “one product” manufacturing.

He assured that the agency will roll out interventions to aid access to finance.

 

The event had in attendance the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Enugu state, Mrs. Adaora Chukwu, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ebonyi state, Mr. Emmanuel Ofia and captains of Industry in the South East Zone.

Presentations by relevant bodies, signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria featured at the event.