Entrepreneurs Tackle SMEDAN DG, Dr Charles Odii Over Claims Of Securing N7b For SMEs & Creating 15,000 Jobs

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) may have been thrown into scandalous controversy following the claims by the Director General, Dr Charles Odii, that the agency has secured over N7 billion for small and medium businesses as well as creating 15,000 jobs in three months across Nigeria.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the supposed beneficiaries of the scheme have denied ever receiving such money or seeing the jobs created. They therefore, challenged the DG, Dr Odii, to mention the names and addresses of those who benefitted from the bogus claims of the Agency, which was said to have been a milestone achieved in 100 days under the leadership of Charles Odii.

This was disclosed by the President of National Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) Comrade Prince Saviour Ichie, in a press conference held in Lagos on behalf of the overall body of Business Members Association (BMO) comprising

ASBON, NANSI, AMEN,  NANSIME and MAN as none received the said grant.

Comrade Ichie therefore, has called on the Federal Government through its agencies including EFCC,  ICPC and other related agencies, to probe and investigate the DG, Dr Odii, for corruption because over thousands of the members had never collected a dime contrary to his claim to have secured such or creating jobs.

“Gentlemen of the press, the reason for this press conference is that there is a report by SMEDAN that the Government gave micro entrepreneurs N7 billion Naira and created 15, 000 jobs. We have over 20,000 members, we have group chats and every of our members is aware of this press conference. After interacting with our members accross board, we can say for a fact no one is aware of that money and no entrepreneur got anything. So we are asking who are the entrepreneurs given the money, we need their names and addresses to confirm.”

“We know that the Government will eventually release some money but the people charged with the responsibility of distributing the funds are the major problem.”

“We have ghost entrepreneurs as well and as we all know, micro entrepreneurs are the bedrock of any economy and the largest employers of labour. So, now that micro businesses are closing down due harsh economic environment of Nigeria, how do Nigerians survive?”

“We are very surprised over the report  because on 20th January, 2024 we had a stakeholders meeting at SMEDAN office in Lagos State and nothing concerning money was discussed.”

“The DG is not helping in growing micro entrepreneurs. When we went to the IDC (Industrial Development Centre) in Ikorodu, which has 1 acres of land, we asked for the land so that micro entrepreneurs can build factories but instead the land was given to land enchroachers ,who now build houses on it which is not what the land was meant for.”

“Dollar is going up everyday as a result of our inability to produce anything in the country and this and many other similar situations have left us frustrated amidst the high prices of raw materials needed to produce as compared to 2015. We can only survive based on government intervention which is not even coming to us.”

“When we heard the report of the money given to micro entrepreneurs, we called everyone we know and none had an idea. My members are increasing daily. We have 2000plus members in Lagos alone. The government have lied again about offering us loan. So we asking the  SMEDAN DG to come out and tell us who got the money, addresses and formula for distribution of the loan. We are ready to take a legal action against him if he does not bring proof” Prince Ichie stated.