A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rafiu Ibrahim (APC, Kwara) has stressed the need for government to tackle the challenges confronting the real sector of the economy.

He said the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) remain the catalyst for the growth of the country's economy.

Ibrahim, a financial analyst who represents Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa federal constituency spoke in an interview with newsmen during his empowerment programme where some artisans were given generating sets, professional clippers, sewing machines, among others.

Responding to a question on the high interest rate which often inhibits small businesses from accessing bank loan, the lawmaker opined that interest rate is not the problem of the economy, adding, "The major problem is availability of fund to support the real sector which should be long term fund".

He said, "Everybody believes that the economy is a kind of shallow economy in terms of funding. Most of the funds available to the banks are short-term fund. In fact interest rate majorly is not the problem of the economy in a broad sense.

"The only thing is that we just have to work on certain aspects of the economy because once the small scale enterprises (SMEs) are not surviving in any economy, it is a catalyst against growth..."