The United Nations Development Programme has donated small grants materials and COVID-19 protection kits to some small and medium size enterprises operating in the development minerals sector in the Centre region.
The items worth over FCA 5 million were handed over to three beneficiary structures on Thursday, September during a ceremony in Yaounde presided over by the Secretary General at the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Oumar Ali.
The items comprised of construction materials is an initiative of the African Pacific Group of States financed by the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme, which is also the implementing partner.
Handing over the items to the beneficiaries, the Assistant Resident Representative of the UNDP, Dr Martin Zeh-Nlo said the support is aimed at building the capacity of small entrepreneurs and enable them fight against at all levels.
“We think that small enterprises are one of the key sectors in sustaining local development. This is however not possible without the involvement of the private sector. We want to take into consideration women, youths and to build their capacities to enable them to open windows to be autonomous,” Dr Zeh-Nlo said.
On his part, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Mines, Oumar Ali expressed gratitude to the UNDP for its constant support in assisting government for the growth and sustainable development of smalll enterprises and entrepreneurs.
“All these items will help our small enterprises who are working daily to help them improve their revenue and to help them to fight against poverty as well as the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the items and said they help to boost their production chain and improve on the quality of product supplied in the market thereby boosting the economy.