06082020 - Insecurity: Protests in Abuja, Lagos, Ondo, Osogbo

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
MSMEs' contribution to
Nigeria Economy is vital—
Amb Katagum
By Victoria Ojeme
THE Minister of State for
Industry, Trade and
I n v e s t m e n t ,
Ambassador Mariam Katagum,
has said that Micro Small and
Medium Enterprises, MSMEs
play an important role to
sustainable economic
development of Nigeria.
She made this known at the
2020 Virtual National MSME
award. She however,
emphasized that the
contributions made from the
MSMEs create a solid platform
for a sustainable economy,
which could have a positive
effect on the unemployment
situation in the country.
According to her, the federal
government would
continuously make effective
policies that would help foster
the growth of MSMEs, so that
they do not get discouraged and
Nigeria could glide on a
sustainable economy.
THE Federal
Government has
condemned the
sidelining of sexual and
reproductive health
programmes as a result of
COVID-19.
The Minister of Women
Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen
said this at the launch of the
State of the World Population,
SWOP, 2020 Report in Abuja
recently.
She said the intervention to
curb COVID-19 pandemic, has
truncated the progress made
on the issues and concerns of
women and girls; particularly
in fragile and low-income
She said, “This would trigger
the emergence of a platform
for a sustainable
entrepreneurial ecosystem
towards energizing the
Nigerian MSMEs to a path of
inclusive growth and
sustainable development.
“This sector plays a pivotal
role in stimulating economic
growth and providing
employment to vulnerable
groups such as the youth,
women and the poor.
Therefore, this forms the
bases for the commitment and
sustained interest by the
Federal Government of
Nigeria in repositioning the
sector for efficiency, growth
and development.
“The Federal Government of
Nigeria continuously ensures
that policies and programmes
towards MSME development
are deliberately crafted to
yield the desired output of
MSME growth and
development. This means
Pauline Tallen
By Victoria Ojeme
countries, where health and
social systems are already
inadequate.
According to her, “Several
sexual and reproductive
health programmes have
been disrupted, leading to
higher maternal mortality
and morbidity. Nigeria, like
many other countries has
recorded a spike in genderbased
violence and an
unprecedented surge in rape
cases, even of minors and
older persons. The situation
is so depressing that we now
refer to it as a ‘pandemic
MSMEs across the country are
once again given the
opportunity to be recognized
and rewarded for their
creativity, steadfastness and
diligence towards their
different chosen businesses
within the last one year.
“This important gathering is
designed to acknowledge,
encourage, reward and
recognize the vital
contributions made by the
Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises to Nigeria’s
economic growth and
development. It is gladdening
that the impact of our work in
‘Ease of Doing Business’ is
gradually being felt by
businesses, small and large; its
success has allowed us to follow
up with the MSME Clinics and
the annual MSME Awards like
the one we are holding today.
“Let me congratulate all the
finalists, who have joined us
virtually, from different
locations across the nation.
“I must also pay tribute to the
numerous MSME Associations
across the country and our past
COVID-19: FG
condemns
disruption of
maternal
health prog.
within a pandemic.
“With the restrictions placed
on movements, household
incomes were negatively
impacted and many
developing countries, such as
ours where women have
greater representation in the
informal sector risked a slide
into food insecurity, poverty
and malnutrition thereby
increasing gender inequality.
“This has made Government
at all levels respond positively
to the national outcry that
trailed the unacceptable
trends and patterns witnessed
in the last few months.
"We are constantly engaging
with the Nigeria Police on the
need to promptly address
issues of Rape and GBV in the
country.
“As a follow-up, Wives of the
Governors of the States have
also formed themselves into a
Coalition with the support of
the First Lady, Dr. Aisha
Buhari and the wife of the Vice
President, Mrs. Dolapo
Osinbajo in a bid to address the
hydra-headed monster of rape
and other
Woman's Own 03/08/2020
National MSME Award
winners, who are now MSME
Clinic Ambassadors for
ABUJA- AS Federal
intensifies efforts to
position the solid
minerals sector of the economy;
women across the country have
been assured 60 per cent
employment in gold processing
and buying centres.
This was disclosed by the
Secretary, Presidential Artisanal
Gold Mining Development
Initiative, PAGMI, Hajiya
Fatima Shinkafi, during a media
briefing recently.
Shinkafi explained the
initiative will enable the
country’s gold industry across
every gender, hence women
have strategic role to play in
value addition and wealth
creation. According to her,
“Women are going to be trained
in various aspects of the gold
value chain that would make
them professionals, and in turn
also train other women.
“The main policy is to
empower artisanal miners and
give them better value to what
Ambassador
Katagum
Women to get 60%
employment in gold
processing, buying centres—
Shinkafi
By Gabriel Ewepu
constantly promoting our
MSME initiatives at their
various events”, she said.
they are doing, right now it is
poverty driven eking out a
living and they are doing it
blindly.
“It is geared towards limiting
those negative ramifications
that come from artisanal
mining.
“PAGMI estimates that the
Federal Government could
realize an annual average of
$150 million in taxes, $25
million in royalties, and $500
million accretion to foreign
reserves from the integration of
artisanal gold mining activities
implemented by PAGMI.
“This will result in the creation
of over 500,000 new mining
and formalized jobs, leading to
poverty alleviation for more
than 1 million households.
“Through it, the Central Bank
of Nigeria will purchase locally
produced gold in Naira to boost
the nation’s foreign reserves.
“It will buy all the gold
produced by artisanal and
small-scale miners and
aggregated by licensed buying
centers and aggregators for
supply to the Central Bank of
Nigeria”, she stated.
L-R: Hon. Minister,
Mines
and Steel Development,
Arc Olamilekan
Adegbite
with the Executive
Secretary
SMDF
and Secretary
of PAGMI,
Hajia Fatima
Shinkafi at an
interactive
session with
journalists