Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has stated that 10,392 graduates from Oyo State have been shortlisted for the second batch of N-Power scheme scheduled to commence in July.
Osinbajo made the disclosure in Ibadan on Tuesday at the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinic co-hosted by the Office of Vice President and Oyo State Government.
He stated that 9,220 volunteers benefited in the first batch of the scheme, adding it was one of the social economic interventions of the Federal Government domiciled in his office.
Osinbajo listed other programmes under his office to include the Conditional Cash Transfer, Home Grown School Feeding Programme and Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme(GEEP).
The Vice President said President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the GEEP programme be expanded to cater for small scale enterprises.
“We are feeding 230,000 pupils, we have also employed 2,363 cooks in the state, while 14,529 households are benefiting in the Conditional Cash Transfer.
“It is the hope of Mr President that we should broaden opportunities and make it available to every Nigerian,” he said.
He stated that the programme was aimed at bringing together regulatory authorities and business facilitators to assist and respond to MSMEs to grow.
Osinbajo said the federal government has begun solar powering of markets across the country as a means of decentralising power generation.
In his speech, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi said the federal government has contributed tremendously towards socio-economic development in the state.
Ajimobi said the state has evolved several initiatives towards the development of business enterprises and empowerment of residents.
He said that his administration has also ensured enable environment for business to thrive across the state, which he said contributed to the ranking of the state as an investment-friendly.
“Close to 37 million MSMEs in Nigeria represent 80 percent of Nigerian enterprises and they give out 75 percent employment in Nigeria.
“Small businesses create more jobs, expand the economy and ensure prosperity. We commend the unwavering commitment of the Vice President to economic development,” he said.
Also speaking, Princess Taibat Adeyemi-Agaba, the state’s Commissioner for Trade and Investment said that MSME had great potential to transform the nation’s economy.
She stated that investing in small scale industry is the best way to diversify the economy towards achieving a zero-oil economy.
NAN reports that Osinbajo, accompanied by Ajimobi had earlier launched the federal government’s solar power project at the Bola Ige International Market, New Gbagi.
The event was attended by personalities including Mrs Aisha Abubakar, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo and Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji.