Jiwaka keen on small enterprises

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

THE Jiwaka government has allocated K100,000 to the Jiwaka Small Medium Enterprises (SME) committee to establish its office in the province.

The Jiwaka provincial budget committee approved the funding during its meeting last Friday in  Minj district.

Governor William Tongamp said SME was a good initiative of Trade and Commerce Minister Richard Maru to empower local people engaging in small income-generating activities to expand their operations.

Tongamp said this was the way forward to help village people to help themselves.

“I want to commend interim Jiwaka SME committee headed by Steven Kamga to get an organisation in place to help the people,” he said.

Kamga said Jiwaka was the second in the Highlands region to register, Eastern Highlands was the first.

“Our aim is to make the province economically independent and help people have money in their pockets,” he said.

Kamga said his team would help people engage in small income generating activities to expand their operations and earn more income.

“Village people can’t walk into the commercial banks and get big loans to further their income-generating activities,” he said.

He said because of strict bank policies and requirements, small people were prevented from expanding their business activities.

He said the SMEs opened doors for grassroots people to get assistance from the National Development Bank.

“We have a committee already in place and thank our governor and his committee for helping us to start our work in helping small people.”