Sit At Home Order Affected Movement Of Goods – Kalu

By Oduyemi Odumade

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Benjamin Kalu says the observance of the sit-at-home order in South East Nigeria on Mondays has greatly affected the movement of goods between northern and southern Nigeria.

According to Kalu, the southeast loses an estimated N10 billion to N13 billion in the transportation sector alone on every sit-at-home day.

The Deputy Speaker stated this when he received the Nigerian Association Of Small And Medium Enterprises, NASMEs, led by its President, Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima in his office in Abuja.

Kalu said that insecurity in the region was affecting the small and medium enterprises which he recognized as a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He however assured the commitment of the House to review the laws that are inhibiting the operations of the SMEs in the country.

“According to recent data, SMEs account for 48% of the National GDP in emerging economies, additionally The World Bank reports that SMEs play a pivotal role in job creation.

“Therefore, upscaling entrepreneurship because its strategic imperative to revitalizing the Nigerian economy. SMEs must be seen as a strategic tool for our economic development.

“As legislators, we are aware of security problems facing our nation. In recent years, the security situation has posed hurdles. The sit-at-home in the South East has affected the movement of goods between the North and the South. It ought not to be so” he said

Earlier in his presentation, the President of the Nigerian Association Of Small And Medium Enterprises (NASME) led by its President, Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima appealed to the Deputy Speaker to help the body enact laws that would support the growth of SMEs in the country.

Edited By Grace Namiji