The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will establish microfinance banks in the six area councils of the territory to provide easy access to financial services for the administration’s business operators, the Minister of State (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, has disclosed.

The minister, who stated this at the commissioning of HATLAB Place in Abuja, explained that the establishment of the microfinance banks would substantially address the funding limitation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Needless to remind that inadequate funding of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affects positive economic growth. I once more use this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment towards the establishment of FCT Microfinance Banks in all the area councils of the FCT.

“We are also positioned to encourage value addition and linkages and ensure the establishment of business clusters, trade zones and business incubators in the FCT through the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA),” she said.

She also noted that FCTA was being strengthened in line with the FCT Trade and Investment policy aimed at meeting the current economic realities and attaining Vision 20:2020.

“The AEA as one of vehicles for the delivery of the FCT Trade and Investment policy is being supported to reach all the area councils and also to maintain a functional desk in all the area councils,” she added.

Akinjide assured women that the FCTA was committed to providing of an enabling environment for them to take their rightful place in the area of business.

She added that the administration would partner with HATLAB Delite Limited in the area of mentorship through the AEA facilities.

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun a village – community sanitation programme in all the area councils and satellite towns as part of concerted measures to ensure a neater and healthy environment.

The programme was established by the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, in collaboration with the chairmen of the six area councils.

The minister, who spoke at the flag-off of the community sanitation exercise in Kuduru, Bwari Area Council, said filthiness and an uncleaned environment was no longer acceptable in the area councils and the satellite towns.

“We are all going to clean the area councils and satellite towns. We are going to work with the chairmen of the six area councils to rid the councils of waste.

Efforts are in top gear to clean green the various parks in the area councils and satellite towns.

“We have acquired domestic sanitation equipment for the community sanitation exercise which has been distributed to the councils for a thorough clean-up of the environment after sensitization would have been carried out,” said Akinjide, who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Mrs. Jummai Kwanashie.

The village – community sanitation programme took off in five communities of Bwari Area Council – Kuduru, Ushafa, Pambara, Kogo and Peyi communities.

About 50 members of the sanitation committee were inaugurated by the minister in Kuduru.

The minister had last month also taken the village – community sanitation to communities in Gwagwalada Area Council, including Gwako community.

Earlier, the chairman of the Bwari Area Council, Hon. Yohanna Ushafa, had lauded the minister for the community sanitation programme which, he stated, would engender a clean environment in all communities in the area councils.

Ushafa explained that the Bwari Area Council had embarked on a number of programmes to tackle sanitary problems such as the use of private refuse management firms.

The Department of Environment and sanitation has also embarked on the clearing of congested drainages across the council especially in Bwari, Kubwa and Dutse.

The council has launched aggressive health education in four major areas of open defecation, lassa fever, measles and trypanosomaisis among others,” he disclosed.

SOURCE: Nigerian tribune