By Idris Ahmed, Lafia
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has directed Ministries, Departments and Authorities (MDAs) to adhere strictly to the policy thrust of the administration so as to be on the same page in the provision of the expected quality leadership and dividends of democracy.
Engineer Sule made the call while flagging off the entrepreneurship development training organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), holding in Lafia, on Monday.
The governor who emphasized the significance of the MDAs being on the same page in the implementation of the government’s programmes, said that will entrench collective responsibility expected from exemplary leadership.
He identified key policy thrust which his administration takes seriously, aimed at making the state economically independent.
Specifically, Engineer Sule listed women and youth empowerment, employment generation, economic development, revenue generation, wealth creation, as well as independence of the diverse people of the state, as being pivotal, to the policy direction of his administration.
Governor Sule stressed that he is willing to stop everything to promote these goals, in a bid to make the state less independent on federal revenue, charging MDAs to always accord seriousness to any matter relating to these specific goals.
The Governor, who expressed dismay on the organization, as well as the calibre of persons invited as participants at the training, emphasized that the aim of the programme was being defeated since those who should truly participate in the exercise, were excluded.
“I am looking for a common person out there, who has no other means of survival, who has a dream but does not know how to go around it, those are the people to train,” Engineer Sule said.
He said the aim of the entrepreneurship development training, was to identify people who will be trained, empowered and be supported to become employers of labour, in order to become economically independent.
Earlier, in a welcome address, state Commissioner, Ministry for Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr. Obadiah Boyi, disclosed that the training was designed out of the mandate of the ministry, aimed at facilitating Nasarawa State MSMEs have access to training and funding from development finance institutions such as the Bank of Industry (BOI), SMEDAN, CBN and NIRSAL.
Mr. Boyi commended the vision of the Governor to industrialize the state, stressing that the vision cannot be achieved without developing the critical mass of local, indigenous entrepreneurs with the pre requisite skills and resources to drive the process.
In a goodwill message, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dikko Umaru Ridda, described the training as apt, especially now that the country is seeking for ways to diversify the economy.
Represented at the event by Famous Adejoh, an official of the agency, the DG said there is need for the country to move the monolithic revenue earner, oil.
While restating the readiness and commitment of SMEDAN to facilitate and fast track activities of MSMEs, the director general called on participants to take the training seriously.
He used the opportunity to call on the Nasarawa State Governor, to impress on his colleagues across the country, on the urgent need to replicate the training across the states.
“Nasarawa State has always been in the fore front of favourable policies and I believe other states will take a cue from what Nasarawa State is doing today,” the DG of SMEDAN said.
