The Kwara State Government has said that it plans to access N750m loan from the Bank of Industry to  boost Small and Medium Enterprises in the state.

The state Commissioner for Commerce and Co-operatives, Alhaji Saka Onimago, stated this in Ilorin on Wednesday during a ministerial media briefing on the one year anniversary of the administration of the Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed.

He said Ahmed had authorised the ministry to source for the facility because of the administration’s perception of SMEs subsector as one of the bedrocks of socio-economic advancement.

According to him, the facility will help to revamp moribund industries in the state. Onimago said 147 co-operative societies had benefited from the N250m loan scheme of the government, adding that micro-finance banks were accredited to disburse the loan.

He also said the government was developing a free trade zone,  as well as plans to go into the export of shear butter being produced in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Kpan, said the government had worked out plans to effectively prevent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the state.

According to him, the government plans to develop six grazing reserves in the state; two grazing reserves for each of the three senatorial zones.

He added that the government had developed strategies to further boost the production and marketing of cassava, maize, rice and sorghum.

According to him, the government has entered into partnership with some foreign expatriates to further boost commercial agriculture and provide job opportunities for the people of the state.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths Empowerment, Alhaji Saka Babatunde, said the government had employed 2,000 youths under the state’s Bridge Employment Scheme, adding that the government had spent over N140m on the scheme - spending over  N20m each month for seven months.