Exhibitors want more govt’s intervention in SMEs sector

Exhibitors at the just-concluded made-in-Aba Trade Fair have called for increased government’s intervention in the country’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector.

A cross-section of the exhibitors, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that adequate funding of the SMEs sector would go a long way to facilitate efforts to reduce unemployment in the country.

One of the exhibitors, Mr Charles Leonard, told NAN that the fair was a wonderful eye-opener for him, adding that with adequate finance he would be able expand his business and be an employer of labour.

“Although we had low patronage at the fair, the few people that came there saw that what we produce in Aba is not substandard by any means.

“A lot of them found it difficult to believe that we are the actual producers of the wares but we were able to convince them; some have even made some requests and I will come back to make the supplies.

“All we ask for is that government should seriously fund SME’s and even provide those facilities that will make it easy for us to work,’’ he said.

Lenoard commended the facilitator of the fair, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, and urged other legislators to emulate his effort by supporting small businesses in their various constituencies.

Another exhibitor, Mr Okechukwu Emmanue, said that if he was able to get government’s financial support, his business would grow better.

“I just finished my secondary school education last year and my parents cannot train me to the university level. I am into this business, believing that it will help me to further my education.

“I heard that government have some money available to support small businesses but we don’t have access to the funds; we need help and government should make it easy for us to get this money.

“There are many youths like me who have small businesses but cannot grow the businesses due to lack of funds; any support in that direction will go a long way to help us succeed,’’ he said.

Besides, Kenndy Obi, another exhibitor, described the fair was a good innovation because it had given him an opportunity to increase his clientele.

“I am very happy with this trade fair, God did it for me, I now have more contacts who want to buy my goods in large quantities.

“Some people also brought designs they want, which I will develop whenever I return to my base. This trade fair is a wonderful idea.

“But I think we need government’s intervention. For me to be able to effectively deliver goods to the contacts I got from this trade fair, I will have to look for those who can lend me some money.

“This is not good enough, we need government’s support,’’ he said

Obi stressed that since government was no longer generating considerable revenue from petroleum resources, it should focus its attention on how to develop and support small businesses, as part of its revenue-generation drive.

He said that Nigerians would be ready to patronise made-in-Aba products if the government could step in and support the producers’ efforts.

NAN reports that the one-week fair was organised by Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia-South Senatorial District.