GOBABIS – A total of 85 entrepreneurs in the Omaheke Region have benefitted from the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Equipment Air Scheme during the current financial year (2014/2015).
The scheme, which is intended to assist budding small entrepreneurs in improving and increasing their productive capacities, product quality and business prospects, has thus far invested N$7.6 million on equipment for SMEs in the Omaheke Region.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry launched its Policy and Programme on Small Business Development in 1997, outlining specific proactive policy interventions and programmes aimed at addressing identified key constraints to the effective success, growth and development of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises in the country.
“In keeping with the SME Policy and Programme, my ministry came up with the idea of the Equipment Aid Scheme to procure productive machinery and equipment,” said Minister of Trade and Industry, Calle Schlettwein.
During the equipment handover to budding entrepreneurs in Gobabis on Thursday, Schlettwein, in a speech read by his deputy, Tjekero Tweya, said that to ensure the intervention would have the desired impact, the ministry would provide training to the beneficiaries on the correct use of the equipment received. The beneficiaries will also be regularly monitored and provided with requisite business support services offered through the ministry’’s Business Support Services Programme.
“Our regional offices country-wide remain available to provide detailed information on the Equipment Aid Scheme, including application procedures. I therefore encourage existing and emerging indigenous small entrepreneurs, especially the youth and women, to take advantage of this support to improve their businesses and contribute to poverty reduction and national social-economic development,” added Schlettwein.
A Gobabis-based small-scale toilet paper manufacturer has benefitted from N$1.6 million worth of production equipment through the Equipment Aid Scheme. The factory is producing single and double ply toilet paper and toilet paper rolls.