Ogunenwa Audu Jos
Plateau State government has been charged to create
investment incentives, create industrial clusters and standardized markets/artisan hubs to create jobs and should ensure an organized environment, and drive development for business Community.
This charge was given in Jos o by Akin Omoware, the Head of Component, Business Enabling Environment, BEE/Investments and Sustainable Infrastructure of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit – Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria, GIZ-SEDIN at Jos business Community meeting held at Jos business school Jos.
Omoware at an event titled: Engagement with Business Management Organizations, Media, and Civil Society Organizations in the area of the business environment and support to private advocacy meeting where an overview of the current business environment of the State was discussed.
He said unemployment is a major social and economic problem facing not just Plateau State but Nigeria with multi-dimensional implications hence the need to engage in reforms that would create jobs.
His words, “We have a very productive economy, we are trying to see how we can close the gaps and stimulate production. We can work collectively to help the MSMEs because they are those who start businesses and create jobs.
“The government is very elastic to create jobs. I am not sure the jobs at the federal agencies here, the University, schools, the State government, and local government are up to 100,000.
“The MSMEs are creating jobs in the formal and informal sectors but if we don’t create the environment there’s no way they will be able to do what they need to do. Recently companies have been shutting down because of some economic issues.
“Government has a role to play and to ensure that the environment is conducive and that the investors can come in and the MSMEs can put their ideas into use and form something from them to create jobs for others.”
According to him, , “Everybody knows the economic potential of Plateau and Nigeria generally. We have the resources, it is important to add value to these resources wherever we have the comparative advantage and create jobs for the youths,we should have industrial clusters where people could support one another to create wealth.”
On their part,the Director General of the Plateau State Micro-Finance Development Agency, PLASMIDA, Bonkam Wuyep, and the Centre Manager of Plateau State One-Stop Investment Centre,
Roseline Bentu explained the Plateau state government’s efforts at jobs and wealth creation.
Wuyep, represented by the Manager of Plateau Job Centre, Sapphira Chindaba, noted that MSMEs are the drivers of the economy but access to finance and markets have impeded the growth of the MSMEs so the Agency should helps in facilitating credit facilities to stabilize businesses and also guide artisans to access the Federal government survival funds.
Bentu added that the State government is focused on seeing the economy thrive which is why private businesses are supported through the opening of investment opportunities so they could complement the government’s efforts at creating jobs.
Other stakeholders at the event including owners of small businesses who discussed the role of advocacy in promoting a conducive business environment and supporting private sector development as well as how to improve collaborations for private sector advocates.
The one day program in Jos was organized by GIZ Jos area Office for the benefit of those in small scale and medium businesses in the state under it’s focal point officer Mrs Manklink.
Kwararafa Reporters 