Women entrepreneurs task FG on reforms to boost SMEs’ productivity

NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) has called on the federal government to focus on reforms that would boost productivity of businesses in the country, rather than pay attention to fighting corruption alone.

NNEW made the call recently at its 9th general meeting in Lagos when the organisation inaugurated its new executive members.

“The country needs a lot of reforms. The president should not just focus on fighting corruption but should also focus on reforms which will boost productivity,” said Modupe Oyekunle, president, NNEW.

According to NNEW, the recent fuel scarcity and poor power supply situation in the country have eroded revenues and profits.

Edobong Akpabio, 2nd vice president, NNEW and chief executive officer, Green Animalia, said fuel scarcity and poor power supply situation in the country are negatively affecting businesses by eroding profits.

“Entrepreneurs are really in a deep mess now, because we still need to pay our statutory bills to the local government and our rents whether we make profit or not. Statutory bills are not like our income tax where it is based on our financials,” Akpabio said.

Animalia CEO pleaded with the government to bring the fuel crisis to an end and stop regulation of petroleum products by allowing the forces of demand and supply to determine prices.

Speaking on the achievements of her predecessor,  Modupe Oyekunle, newly elected president, said the last executives established the first women micro finance bank in Africa that is focused on only empowering women with finance for their businesses.

According to her, since the establishment of the micro finance bank last year, about 3000 women have been assisted with loans, promising that her administration would improve on the record of her predecessors.

Oyekunle, who is the organisation’s third president, noted that the group would focus on increasing its visibility, having alliances with other women associations and extending to other geopolitical zones in the country.

“The new team will take NNEW further in influence and visibility through advocacy and giving a voice on issues that concern women,” Oyekunle said.

Timothy Oyewale, director, social economy and labour affairs, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), who represented Segun Oshinowo, the association’s director general, said NNEW’s micro finance bank is already a landmark for NNEW and NECA.

“The NNEW initiative has made it easy for women to connect and atheir issues also within the group,” Oyewale said.

 Josephine Okojie