Pat Steven/
Business owners under the aegis of the Association of Micro- Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) have called on the government to stop the planned eviction of thier businesses by the Industrial Development Centre SMEDAN Ikorodu, in Lagos.
The business owners who displayed placards with various inscriptions as “STOP the Eviction of Entrepreneurs in IDC Ikorodu” and “CJ Nwoke wants to kill small industries in Nigeria” also displayed a letter signed by one Mrs Chinyere Nwoke for the Director General IDC Ikorodu that they have been given 10 days to move their businesses from the IDC.
The protest, which took place at the Small And Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) Office in Lagos on Friday saw the business owners chanting solidarity songs as they urged government to protect small business owners.
President of AMEN, Prince Saviour Iche, while addressing journalists, said small businesses and hundreds of workers would be thrown out of work if they should vacate the IDC Ikorodu.
He said, “Our members operating their manufacturing businesses in the Industrial Development Centre Ikorodu Lagos were served impromptu letter on January 29th 2018 mandating them to leave with their production machines and heavy equipment latest by Friday 9th February 2018. The letters were duly signed by the state coordinator in charge of the Centre, Mrs CJ Nwoke, accompanied by a copy of an internal memo duly signed by the Director of Engineering, Technology and Infrastructure, Engr. Abu Ozigi.
“According to them, the reason for the short notice is for them to carry out renovation of the Centre but the centre has been renovated up to 85% by entrepreneurs. Also, where do they want us to move our heavy machines and several businesses to? The centre does not need any renovation for now but for government to build more clusters to accommodate the teeming entrepreneurs who want to join us at the Centre; worst still they did not provide any alternatives.”
Speaking on the plights of the Entrepreneurs , Mr. Saviour said: “Our plights started after we demanded evidence of payment we made for regular maintenance to Mrs CJ Nwoke. We have tried to fix the bad water at the centre, but our efforts were fustrasted by her. A sudden notice of 10 days to evict us is tantamount to killing small businesses and throwing many youths who we are gainfully employed into crime.
“Also the entrepreneurs borrowed huge amount of money from the Bank of Industry to finance thier businesses and buy machineries, so how do you expect them to repay the loans? What about their products, their workers? Our products which are being consumed locally and Internationally? This move is not in line with government policy to develop the economy through small scale businesses. We therefore call on the government to prevail on SMEDAN and the IDC to stop forthwith the planned eviction instead they should encourage entrepreneurs.”
When contacted, Mrs Nwoke said, “I am a ministry worker. I cannot talk to journalists.”
0