KNCC urge government to cushion SMEs from Covid-19 effects.

Small and Medium Enterprises stakeholders want the government to cushion them from the prevailing Covid-19 effects.

Speaking in Kapsabet during trader’s submit is Nandi, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce president Richard Ngatia noted that thousands of locals lost their jobs after the massive closure of businesses.

Ngatia aknowledged the region’s agricultural sector urging the government to consider small scale farmers in providing them with the subsidized farm inputs to enhance the economic aspect of the locals.

He said through emporment programs including Fouth funds and SMEs revolving funds, the traders association is looking forward to receive financial boost from the government for the businesses to stay afloat amid the ravaging Covid-19.

“Taxes and the county revenues should be reviewed to enhance the the business environment for small scale farmers and vegetable vendors. We are working with the national government and the county governments to ensure that they formulate and implement policies that would enable traders to access financial support,” he said.

Alfred Lagat, the CEC for finance and physical planning would seek to work with the Saccos and small scale farmer’s cooperatives in the bid to create job opportunities from the agriculture sectors.

” We lost revenues from the onset or the global pandemic but the county has resolved review on the revenues and also allocate more funds to major economic activities in the region including animal keeping, maize farming and coffee farming that will lead to creation of job opportunities,” he stated