SMEDAN to Hold Opportunity Fairs for Physically Challenged Entrepreneurs

Dike Onwuamaeze

 The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has announced that it would hold a Special Opportunity Fairs for People With Disabilities (PWDs) as part of the agency’s efforts to encourage socio-economic inclusion for PWDs in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).  

This was disclosed yesterday in Lagos by the Director General of SMEDAN, Mr. Olawale Fasanya, at a capacity building programme on “Grant and Growth Support for Business Membership Orgmisations and Trade Associations” that was specifically targeted at PWDs.

Fasanya said: “We are going to organise Special Opportunity Fairs for the PWDs and we are going to start in Lagos. This will bring government personalities and agencies like National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to the fair that will be special for the PWDs.

“We will brainstorm to see how we can provide market linkage for you so that your products can be off taken.

“We will also try at the federal level to play advocacy role for people that are physically challenged because as far as we are concerned you are people with special abilities not disabilities. We will not just train you and leave you but will provide some support to you.”

In her remark during the workshop, the Chairlady, Lagos State Chapter of Nigeria Association of the Blind, Mrs. Christiana Akinrimade, requested that government should assist PWDs in business to secure access markets for their products through the provision of shops in notable markets in the country.