The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on Saturday charged women in Ekiti State to team together and form cooperatives to enable them to access the Federal Government’s agricultural loans.
Mr Tunde Oloyede, Assistant Director, Agric-Business Development and Extension, SMEDAN, gave the advice at the end of a training on “Women in Self-Empowerment’’ in Ikere-Ekiti.
The training aimed at expanding businesses of women in agro-allied industries.
Oloyede advised the participants that by forming cooperatives, they had better chances of accessing the government’s loans and grants for agricultural development.
“I must commend your patience and cooperation during the first phase of the programme. As we prepare for the vocational aspect, I urge you to form yourselves into formidable cooperative societies.
“Ensure teamwork among yourselves, in order to contribute your quota to the development of our dear country.
“I assure you that very soon, the Federal Government will roll out assistance to various cooperative societies for the benefit of members,’’ Oloyede said.
A beneficiary of the training, Mrs Monisola Olanipekun, who spoke on behalf of the others, thanked the government for the gesture.
She said that with the training, participants had been exposed to different skills and knowledge that would facilitate their efforts to grow their own businesses.
