Magnus Eze, Enugu
The South East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA) has applauded the Federal Government for drastically reducing cost of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) registration nationwide.
Its Director-General, Mr Nduka Awuregu, stated this in Enugu shortly after the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced the 80 per cent reduction in a virtual launch of NAFDAC’s MSME Palliative.
The agency also announced its user-friendly assisted e-registration aimed at engendering seamless and internet-based registration of MSME businesses and obtaining of NAFDAC registration number in limited days once all requirements were met.
Awuregu said that with the recent Federal Government move through NAFDAC, it had opened massive window of opportunities for MSMEs, entrepreneurs and inventors to spring up in every corner of the country. “It is a welcome development and very cheering news to the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in the South-East, which the chamber represents.
“This move by the Federal Government will go a very long way to create more jobs, check food insecurity and promote creativity at the grassroots.
“With this and other government supports, there will be increased manufacturing that would be the bedrock of the highly needed diversification to over adverse effect of COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The director general also urged intending and existing entrepreneurs in the South East to take advantage of the palliative and new e-registration to start or expand their businesses.
Earlier, South East Director of NAFDAC, Mrs Olajumoke Ojetokun, said that their zonal and state offices were ready to fully implement the new directive meant to further assist in the Ease of Doing Business drive of NAFDAC and Federal Government. The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, in a virtual address from Abuja, said that the Federal Government had in recognition of MSMEs importance, made job creation one of its agenda by signing the first Executive Order aimed at improving the `Ease of Doing Business’’ in Nigeria.