BENIN CITY - Edo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. (Mrs) Abieyuwa Osemwenkhae has disclosed that the National Policy on Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is in response to the challenges of developing this sector of the Nigerian Economy in a structural and efficient manner.

This development, she said can translate to employment generation, economic empowerment and even development across the country.

In an address at the inaugural meeting of the state consultative committee on MSMEs, Commissioner Osemwenkhae who is the state chairman of the committee, noted that the objective of the National Policy on MSMEs was to create, nurture and promote the necessary condition for the growth and development of MSMEs.

The policy, according to her, encompasses seven policy programme areas, adding that it was also based on close partnership cooperation between various levels of government, community and organization on the one hand and private enterprises and business organization on the other hand.

She stated that the duty of the state Consultative Committee was to monitor as much as possible and to recommend remedial measures to the parties expected to act in this regard on issues raised in MSME report.

From effectiveness, she announced that the Secretary, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and the Assistant Director of Industry in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, had been co-opted into the Consultative Committee on National Policy on MSMEs thereby increasing its members to 16.

She implored members to see the assignment as a call to duty, which according to her, must be executed with high level of passion and commitment.

While suing for their cooperation and understanding, she believed that collectively, the committee would make a long-lasting impact in this sub-sector through the use of micro, small and medium enterprises development strategy to achieve the national goal of becoming one of the top 20 economies in 2020.