By Blessing Bature
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory ,FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has described the ongoing construction of three bus terminals as critical infrastructure to improve FCT’s transportation system.
Wike stated this after he inspected two of the three bus terminal projects and the access road to the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal under construction in Dakibiyu, Abuja, yesterday.
The Wike-led FCT administration had in 2024 awarded contracts for the construction of bus and taxi terminals in Mabushi, Central Area and Kugbo.
The minister, who inspected the Mabushi and Kugbo bus terminal projects, expressed joy that the President Bola Tinubu administration was providing such critical transportation infrastructure. “We are happy that we’re providing this kind of infrastructure.
“You will agree with me that the bus terminal is a basic intervention for us to change our transport system.
“We’re quite impressed with what we have seen. I commend the contractors for a job well done.
“We will try as much as we can to make sure that the projects are delivered within the agreed timeline”, he said.
Wike said that the bus terminals, when completed and become operational, would sanitise the city’s transportation system.
He explained that the facility would not only take commuters away from the road to the terminals to board buses and taxis but also ensure safety and security.
“That, of course, will limit the incidence of ‘one chance’ criminals who pose as drivers to snatch passengers’ valuables.
“So that’s the sense of building these terminals and also to clean up the city so we don’t have buses all over the road, turning every roadside into a motor park”, the minister said.
Speaking on the road network in Dakibiyu, the minister expressed confidence that the road project would be part of the line-up of projects for inauguration to celebrate Tinubu’s second year in office.
Wike assured FCT residents of the commitment of the Tinubu-led government to provide first-class infrastructure that they deserve to live a quality life.
Abia Govt, MTN Sign MoU To Boost Digital Transformation
From Rotimi Ibe, Umuahia
Abia Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding ,MoU, with MTN to advance the state’s digital transformation efforts. The Commissioner for Information, Mr Okey Kanu, said on Monday in Umuahia while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.
Kanu described the deal as a product of several months of meetings and negotiations between the State Government and MTN management.
He said the MoU covered six key areas aimed at improving digital access and governance across the state before the end of the year. Kanu said: “The first area is coverage of 100 per cent of the population and space of the whole Abia with broadband access before year-end.
“The second area is a device ownership scheme to support Abia civil servants with work tools. “This is a situation whereby MTN Limited will finance the acquisition of laptops, smartphones, and Wi-Fi devices for Abia State Civil Servants.
“All these are geared towards enhancing their effectiveness on the job and of course, extending the Digital Transformation Agenda of the present administration”.
According to him, the third area is digital governance through the provision of cloud services and computing infrastructure for government operations.
“The fourth area focuses on establishing an Abia Digital Mall to support small businesses and the informal sector and will involve the usage of multiple digital tools to drive SME growth in Abia State.
“The fifth target is the rollout of 4G and 5G services in Umuahia, Aba, and Ohafia before year-end. “The sixth area involves creating a digital marketplace to drive e-governance and online commerce in the state.
“This will attempt to distribute into bold manifestation the Governor’s vision of digital transformation of Abia State to the 21st century”, he said.
The commissioner said the initiative would empower rural dwellers to conduct businesses from remote areas and boost productivity thereby engendering socioeconomic growth.
Kanu said that the project, when fully realised, would turn the fortunes of the state around for good. On sports, he commended the Abia Warriors Football Club for almost qualifying for continental championship in the next football season.
“With one more match to go in the current Nigerian Professional Football League, Abia Warriors are on the cusp of playing in the CAF Confederation Cup..
“This is a commendable achievement that speaks to the air of positivity that now pervades almost every area of governance in Abia State”, Kanu said.
SMEDAN’s ‘GROW Nigerian’ Strategy To Empower MSMEs With Skills, Others
By Ladi Gbegi
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria ,SMEDAN, says its new “GROW Nigerian” strategy will empower small businesses with vital support to drive economic growth.
The Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, said this at a meeting with the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria ,CICAN, in Abuja.
The GROW Nigerian strategy is an acronym for Guidance, Resources, Opportunities and Workforce.
Odii said that the initiative would provide the necessary support to help Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ,MSMES, overcome challenges and scale up operations.
According to him, the initiative offers mentorship, expert advice, tools and infrastructure to boost operational efficiency and long-term sustainability for small businesses across Nigeria.
According to him, said through the programme SMEDAN will provide MSMEs access to funding, new markets and platforms to showcase their products and services, expanding their commercial reach.
He said that SMEDAN would also deliver skills training and human capital development to support entrepreneurs and foster innovation and productivity in the MSME sector.
“GROW Nigerian is SMEDAN’s strategic blueprint outlining plans to accelerate economic growth by providing vital resources to MSMEs in key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“It proposes our theory of “change” which holds that by providing adequate guidance, resources, opportunities, and workforce support, SMEs can overcome common obstacles and experience growth”, he said.
Odii said that the agency recorded over 90,000 jobs created in the first quarter of 2024 through its various initiatives.
He said that the GROW strategy would focus on eight sectors: agriculture value chain, fashion and textiles, tourism, manufacturing, education, digital economy, innovation, and technology adoption.
He identified major challenges facing MSMEs, including poor access to capital, high operational costs, regulatory burdens and a shortage of skilled labour and infrastructure.
He said that tackling these barriers required collaborative efforts between government, private sector and development partners.
“With the right mix of knowledge, capital, market access and workforce support, SMEs can build resilient businesses that create jobs and boost national prosperity”, he said.
