Fubara Inaugurates MSMEs Council To Bolster Businesses in Rivers

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has inaugurated the Rivers State Council on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), tasking the council to tackle challenges faced by enterprises in the state.

At the inauguration event in Port Harcourt, Fubara emphasized that the council’s objective aligns with his administration’s goal of developing human capital and creating jobs for Rivers people.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Lawson Okuru at the event titled: Creating a public-private dialogue platform that will deliver optimal benefits for MSMEs development, Fubara said the aim of the council was in tandem with his administration goal of developing human capital and creating employment for Rivers people.

The Governor said: “Today we’ll be inaugurating the council which his excellency eventually is the chairman.

“This is to tell you that this is in line with his mantra, Rivers First, and what is Rivers First? Rivers First for him (the Governor) is to deliver the dividends of democracy through what we are participating in today in such a way and manner that everybody would be affected.

 There should be human capital development, there should be the creation of jobs for the people.
“My charge to this council would be such that all the challenges we see affecting MSMEs should be taken over by this council.”

Earlier in this welcome address, the South-South Zonal Coordinator, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), said following the critical role MSMEs play in economic growth and poverty reduction globally, creating an enabling environment to jump-start and hasten its development and growth became necessary.

“Our goal is to effectively and efficiently coordinate efforts and resources to create an enabling environment where new and existing MSMEs will optimise their productivity and attain global competitiveness.

Our mission is to foster the growth and development of Nano, Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises across Nigeria We provide vital support through initiatives like capacity building, and access to finance, entrepreneurship training and advocacy for policies that benefit MSMEs.

“There is no doubt that the MSMEs sector remains the engine for critical economic growth and poverty reduction globally, thus the onus is on us as facilitators, drivers and promoters of the sector, to invent the required will to create the enabling environment to jump-start and hasten its development and growth,” he said.

On her part, the Rivers State Manager, SMEDAN, Olalekan Rashidat, expressed happiness that Rivers State had joined the comity of states in inaugurating her council to streamline the operations of MSMEs.
“MSMEs councils have been inaugurated in several states in the federation and Rivers State is getting on board, presently, we are in collaboration with other NGOs, development partners like the British Council and others.

“Presently, we are trying to develop the user service points for MSMEs to transform them from being tech-underserved to tech-savvy businesses and also trying to inform them digitally how to develop skills in cyber security and digital marketing to enable them to market their products and services online seamlessly.”

Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer of, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Ibeleogute Ibodeng, said ITF as a member of the council would continue to deliver its mandate of imparting skills to youths, giving them a competitive edge in the global business environment.

“ITF is saddled with the mandate to ensure that training is spread across the region and what that means is that we take high priority in ensuring that the youths in Port Harcourt area are thoroughly equipped with skill sets that can make them thrive in the society.

“We know for sure that unemployment is a major scourge in our country and we equally know that with skill acquisition, a lot of young people can survive and cater for themselves and develop their economy.

“In Rivers State here, we have a lot of able-bodied young men and women who are doing amazingly well with their businesses, talk about photography, catering, make-up, shoe making and in agriculture, others are into poultry and fishing, you name it. 

“However, ITF’s role is to ensure that training and retraining of these skills are done to keep these young people at the edge of innovation, because when you train our youths, you keep them abreast with what is happening around the world, talk about the latest technology and trends that can enable them to succeed in the ever-evolving business landscape.”