The Oyo State government is working on creating a database of entrepreneurs and artisans across all 33 local government areas of the state. State Commissioner for Trade, Investment, and Cooperatives, Mr Demola Ojo, made this disclosure while speaking at a convergence of entrepreneurs and artisans under the umbrella of the Ibadan Entrepreneurs Network, held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, on Monday.
Ojo stated that it was worrisome that people evade being captured in such a database because they do not want to pay taxes.
However, he emphasised that the state deemed it necessary to have such a database to efficiently share benefits from the state and federal government meant for entrepreneurs and artisans.
He urged entrepreneurs to consider the advantages, especially having access to funding opportunities from the government, rather than evading being captured.
Pointing to the setting of a N500 million loan for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) as a palliative in the wake of the fuel subsidy removal, he noted that such a database would engender the quick allocation of such funds.
He mentioned that Monday’s Ibadan Entrepreneurs Network was a platform that the state would explore to build its own database of entrepreneurs and artisans.
The convener of the Ibadan Entrepreneurs Network, Mrs Oyenike Adeleke, stated that her intent was for entrepreneurs and artisans to network across the 33 local government areas of the state.
She expressed joy in having members of various business enterprises interact to improve their businesses and the economy of the state at large.
Other speakers at the event, including Mr Abisoye Fagade and Mr Yinka Adeleke, stressed that people must view every challenge facing the economy as an opportunity to innovate and expand their enterprises.
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