Source: BusinessDay NG
Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu, the Governor of Cross River State, has been honored with the 2024 award for the most MSME-friendly Governor of the Year in the South-South region by the Federal Government during the National MSME Conference 2024 held in Abuja. The award was presented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on behalf of the President.
The Speaker congratulated the Governor for his outstanding contributions to MSMEs in the State, recognizing his leadership as a benchmark for others in the sector to emulate.
The award presentation was attended by notable figures, including the Secretary General of the Federation, Sen. (Dr.) George Akume, the Honorable Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of Arts, Culture & Creative Economy, Hon. Hannatu Musawa, and the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii.
Hon. Paddy Egbede, the State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, represented the Governor at the event, accompanied by Great Ogban, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of MEDA, and Essessien Edem, the Chairman of the MEDA Board.
In his remarks, Hon. Egbede commended the organizers of the National MSME Conference and expressed that the award serves as motivation to achieve even more. He emphasized that the State Government has made MSME development a priority, viewing it as a pathway to economic growth.
Recently, the Cross River State Government has transformed the economic landscape by empowering MSMEs with essential resources to enhance their businesses. A significant aspect of this initiative is the commitment of One Billion Naira aimed at developing MSMEs within the State.
The 2024 National MSME Conference, initiated by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, carries the theme ‘Grow Nigerian – Sustaining a digital and innovation-driven economy.’ This theme serves as a call to action for stakeholders to recognize the importance of SMEs in driving economic growth.
