Olu Samuel, Lokoja
Chairman Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has empowered tertiary institution students from Kogi Central with multipurpose business carts.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday and personally signed by her.
She equally flagged off free Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration of 2,500 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the district.
She explained that “The initiative is part of our continued efforts to drive innovation in governance and impact the lives of indigent students of Kogi Central origin in tertiary institutions across the country. It also makes it possible for students, market women, and other business owners to register their businesses with the CAC at no cost.”
She said that the distributed business empowerment carts are aimed at fostering self-reliance and entrepreneurship among the students.
“The initiative is designed to equip them with the skills and resources necessary to start and grow profitable businesses, ensuring that they contribute positively to society after graduation. This proactive measure will help reduce dependency on government support and ease societal burdens.
The flag-off of the free CAC business registration also helped the students register their businesses on the spot. Other business owners were also helped to register their businesses with certificates of registration presented to them on the spot.
With the flag-off, the CAC business registration across Kogi Central will commence in each of the constituency offices in the five local government areas to capture 2,500 SMEs. The registration, which would have cost N11,00 each, was paid for by the lawmaker, covering the total cost of N27,500,000 for the registration of all 2,500 SMEs.
Speaking during the programme, Senator Natasha said, she has been a social entrepreneur, advocating for self-reliance and skills for sustainable development before becoming a political reformer.
She emphasised the important of learning about the ecosystem of a business, adding it has become necessary for business owners to register their businesses as it is the foundation of any legal business to acquire the right benefits.
She disclosed the 2,500 businesses that will be registered by the CAC are already taken care of by her office. She explained that the business carts are given to the National Association of Ebira Students (NAES) in the selected institutions to run the business and support the students who are underprivileged in their midst.
The lawmaker gave each of the beneficiaries start-up fund and a token for their transport to their various destinations.
The CAC team led by CAC FCT Zonal Office, Mr Bello Muftahu Esq, said they were around to carry out the business registration as part of the fulfilment of the law, adding that such businesses will have legal recognition and allow them to access government and private grants and loans.
He prayed to God to continue to enrich the lawmaker for the good initiative she brought to her people.
The beneficiary institutions include: Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Federal College of Education, Okene,
Bayero University, Kano,
Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa and Kaduna State Polytechnic.
The business kits consist of multipurpose business carts and clean cooking kiosk PRO.
The multipurpose business carts, consist of: clipper, barbing mirror, plexi glass frame, branded umbrella parasol, box cooler/warmer, 50 watts solar panel, 3 in 1 USB charging cable, rechargeable night lamp, 36AH battery (installed), solar charge controller, dual USB charging port, triple circuit isolator/lvd, and barbing chair.
The clean cooking kiosk PRO, on the other hand consists of; Main cooking frame with cabinet, side cooking frame, 12 watts solar charger, 6kg gas cylinder, sideboard, burner support, industrial cooking burner, grilling burner bowl, grilling burner with gas control valve and hose, oven burner with gas control valve, storage cabinet, grilling mesh, and branded umbrella parasol.
In attendance were; Member Representing Adavi/Okehi House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulraheem Abdulmaleek Danga, Member representing Ogori-Magongo in the House of Assembly, Hon. Bode Ogunmola, former House of Representative Member, Alhaji Abdurahman Badamasiu, Provost Federal College of Education, Okene, Dr. Umar Hassan, representative of CAC, Mr. Muftahu Bello, Secretary General of Ebira Peoples Association, Baba Abdulrazaq, PDP Deputy Party Chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Karaku, representative of SMEDAN, Mrs. Mohammed Alami, market women,