Akpoti-Uduaghan Sponsors The Registration Of 2,500 Students With N27.5M For Cac.

A member of the National Assembly representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commenced an initiative to empower tertiary institution students in her constituency with multipurpose business carts. Additionally, she has launched a program that offers free Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration for 2,500 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the district, totaling N27.5 million for the students.

According to a statement issued by her media aide, Israel Arogbonlo, the purpose of this initiative is to drive innovation in governance and positively impact the lives of indigent students from Kogi Central who are enrolled in tertiary institutions nationwide. The statement also mentions that the initiative allows students, market women, and other business owners to register their businesses with the CAC at no cost. The distributed business empowerment carts aim to foster self-reliance and entrepreneurship among the students. Its goal is to provide them with the necessary skills and resources to start and grow profitable businesses, making them valuable contributors to society after graduation.

By taking this proactive measure, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan aims to reduce dependency on government support and alleviate societal burdens. The launch of the free CAC business registration allowed students to promptly register their businesses on-site. Additionally, other business owners received assistance in registering their businesses, with certificates of registration provided immediately. The registration process for all 2,500 SMEs from Kogi Central will commence in each of the constituency offices in the five local government areas. The statement notes that the lawmaker covered the total cost of N27,500,000 for the registration, which would have otherwise amounted to N11,000 per business.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, a social entrepreneur turned political reformer, emphasizes the importance of youths’ empowerment. She also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Contents and highlights the significance of understanding the ecosystem of a business. According to her, business owners must register their businesses as it forms the foundation of any legal business, providing access to the right benefits.

The statement further discloses that all 2,500 businesses that will be registered by the CAC are already taken care of by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office. She explains that the business carts are given to the National Association of Ebira Students (NAES) in the selected institutions, enabling them to run the business and support underprivileged students within their midst.

In addition to the empowerment carts, each beneficiary received start-up funds and a token for transportation to their respective destinations. A team from the CAC, led by CAC FCT Zonal Office’s Mr. Bello Muftahu, expressed that their presence aimed to fulfill legal requirements and provide businesses with legal recognition. Such recognition allows them to access government and private grants and loans. Muftahu concluded by expressing his prayers for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s continued success in her initiatives for the betterment of her constituents.

The beneficiary institutions include: Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja; Kogi State University, Anyigba; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara; Federal College of Education, Okene; Bayero University, Kano; Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa; and Kaduna State Polytechnic. The business kits provided consist of multipurpose business carts and clean cooking kiosks.

Dignitaries present at the event included: Hon. Abdulrahman Abdulmaleek Danga, the Member representing Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency; Hon. Bode Ogunmola, the Member representing Ogori-Magongo in the State House of Assembly; Alhaji Abdurahman Badamasiu, former House of Representative Member; Dr. Umar Hassan, Provost of Federal College of Education, Okene; and a representative of CAC, Mr. Muftahu, among others.