By Owen Eresoyen, Benin
The Edo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and promoting entrepreneurship by expanding access to business support initiatives, including free business registration and cooperative development, to enable more women-owned enterprises to thrive.
The assurance was given by the Commissioner for Business, Trade and Investment, Hon. Omoh Anabor, when market leaders paid a thank-you visit to the Ministry following the recent Women Empowerment Sensitisation Programme, where free Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration was facilitated for traders in selected markets.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of Sen. Monday Okpebholo, Hon. Anabor described the visit as a source of encouragement and a testament to the impact of the Government’s empowerment initiatives.
He emphasised that women occupy a strategic place in the administration’s economic development agenda, adding that the recently concluded sensitisation programme marked the beginning of a series of interventions designed to strengthen female entrepreneurship across the state.
“Women are very important to the government and society. The empowerment programme we just concluded is only the beginning of many more interventions to come,” Hon. Anabor assured.
The Commissioner disclosed that the State Government would continue to support beneficiaries in obtaining essential business registrations, including those of the CAC and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), to enable them access government grants, funding opportunities and other empowerment programmes.
“We will ensure that your CAC and SMEDAN registrations are completed seamlessly. We will continue to provide platforms for you to grow your businesses, including opportunities in export. But first, we must equip you with the necessary tools to access government interventions and empowerment programmes,” the Commissioner stated.
Hon. Anabor encouraged traders to formalise their thrift savings groups by registering them as cooperative societies, noting that doing so would enhance their eligibility for government support and other development opportunities.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Markets, Hon. Juliana Ikharo, explained that although government has several intervention programmes for traders and entrepreneurs, beneficiaries must possess the appropriate documentation to qualify.
Using the Yanga Market as an example, she advised fish traders and other groups who are engaged in similar businesses to register as cooperative societies, saying it would position them to benefit more easily from government interventions.
The Head of Cooperatives in the Ministry of Business, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Evelyn Imode, highlighted the importance of cooperative registration and outlined the requirements for forming cooperative societies.
She advised traders to register cooperatives based on their specific trades or business clusters, explaining that such an arrangement would enhance coordination, improve communication with members and enable the Ministry to effectively monitor cooperative activities and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
