APME effective in August - Etoundi Ngoa

Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (APME), the structure for supervising the small and medium enterprises in connection with the Cameroonian bank for SMEs, would be operational next month according to Etoundi Ngoa.

This was announced after the management of APME took office eight months ago, that is, from December 2014-July 2015. So far, the structure is in its implementation phase.

According to the Chairman of the Board (PCA) and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises of the Social Economy and Handicraft (MINPMEESA), Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, after its establishment in 2010, the Board have taken on an exercise by finding and recruiting local staff to act as managers.

"The board has already held a session. There has been an ongoing announcement recruit operational managers since last week. The remaining structures will be occupied gradually. Also operations is scheduled for next August," said Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa.

The structure responsible for the supervision of the SME had already begun to implement its brands.

"The corporate coaching business is done gradually. We are currently working on some SMEs files given to us by the National Bureau of upgrading businesses. Structures that have been listed in these files is what we use for training in various fields," said the PCA of APME.

It is therefore difficult to clearly define the number of companies that have already benefited from coaching by the agency. But from September, APME will have to choose between companies that have been validated for different developments based on the credit it has earned.

The SMEs banks which opened its doors yesterday supports the agency deployment capabilities. "The Bank is financing the project. To finance, we must make sure that the customer who comes for a loan is able to repay and that gives credibility to the competences of the SME sector companies. For start-ups, which have fairly interesting business- plan, the agency will do a background check and the collateral of operators," noted Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa.

While conditionalities credit institution dedicated to SMEs are not yet known, the agency has already announced the colours. Eligibility for the credit will concern the technical quality of the business applying for the credit and the response to criteria set by the bank. Furthermore, the PCA of APME says that these start-ups may not get credit if the agency deliberates on their case and also validates their project business plan.