Edo state unveils incentives for entrepreneurs

Edo State has unveiled a series of incentives for budding entrepreneurs and business owners to flourish. According to the Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment, Hon. Emmanuel Usoh, the incentives range from mentorship, access to finance and capacity building. Usoh disclosed this during a one-day business clinic organised for business entrepreneurs by the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Special Duties and Social Enterprise, in Benin City, Edo State capital.

Usoh noted that the training was aimed at selecting 50 businesses that will have access to funding and capacity building including mentorship, adding that the focus is to enable the businesses build their investment on vision and ideals. The commissioner explained that for businesses to thrive “leadership and vision are required. Leadership should be translated to action which is required for leading groups of persons or organisations and the ability to do things, while vision is the ability to see or plan the future.  

“Leadership presupposes that as long as there is a leader, there is a follower; leadership directs followership; leadership is distinguishing and it regards principle. if you don’t have principles, you are leading for failure. Leadership must have a layout and a strategy. Vision is the destination of a dream, the fulfilment of purpose and the picture of the future,” Usoh added. The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Special Duties, Mandela Obaseki, said Edo is on a path to greatness, and explained that the business clinic was planned to groom and support business owners.

One of the speakers, Mrs. Ejedeme-White Isimemen, shed light on the importance of networking in business. She said that networking is about connecting with the right people, nurturing relationships, sharing information, tapping into hidden job markets, adding that the reason for networking is to be known, visible, seen and reacting to opportunities for business to grow. She gave the benefits to include: Business opportunities; Generation of referrals; Identifying best practice and Raising business profile.