2022 LAWAN workshop: stakeholders call on FG to fight crime by growing SMEs

By allcitynews.ng

Stakeholders have called on Federal Government to see Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as another avenue to create jobs and wealth in the country.

They not only called on Federal Government to create sustainable stakeholders economy whereby small and medium enterprises can become employers of labour, they also reminded government that job creation is one of the tools to prune crime in the society.

Speaking in just concluded 2022 Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) workshop which took place in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Friday and Saturday 24 and 25 June 2022, the facilitators pointed out that as small and medium entrepreneurs are the bed rock of any economy, giving them more rooms to exercise their roles, like removal of multiple taxation, provision of electricity, creating cluster for them whereby they can join hands in establishment of cooperatives towards importation of raw materials, removal other bottlenecks by government would fast track their development.

In his own presentation on the topic: the role of SME in tackling rising unemployment in Nigeria, the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, called on government to create way to add value to SMEs in order to enable them have sense of belonging and contribute their quota in growing the economy.

“Value of SME is very important. They are the moving waves in other countries. SMEs are the engine rooms for wealth creation. Products which Nigerians are proud of importing from other countries are joint works of various groups which after collating and harmonious activities, are brought down to Nigeria. Nigerians too can, if given the cluster policy can specialise in one area for complete circle of products. Industrialisation of Nigeria will rest on the shoulders of SMES,” said Yusuf.

Still reminding government and investors of the usefulness of cluster, the CPPE helmsman said “imperative of Industrial Clusters Development of MSMEs clusters is very critical in our economic development and job creation process. The idea is to promote the concentration of related industries and trades in a particular geographical location.

“The cluster strategy offers the following value proposition: it strengthens localisation economies. Concentration of industries could result in significant cost savings. It increases productivity through specialised inputs, access to information, synergies, access to public goods, including infrastructure. It enhances the effectiveness of government intervention efforts to support small business. There is better targeting of such government support.

Moreover he said “Such interventions could be from the federal, state, or local governments. Strong clusters have the capacity to attract bigger domestic and foreign investors. It allows for more efficient division of labour and different firms have different competencies and because they are in close proximity it facilitates and enhances a much more efficient production process. It facilitates the process of integration of MSMEs with large industries. It promotes production efficiency as it enables firms to share risks, costs and access to market. It increases the knowledge about markets, intelligence and competition. It enables MSMEs to share resources which tends to reduce cost.
“It is therefore important that the government encourages more investment in industry clusters and such cluster models should be incorporated into the country’s Industrialisation policy.”

Moreover, Yusuf highlighted shallow involvement of technology, dearth of governance against influx of importation of all sorts of products as some of the challenges confronting the SMEs.

Likewise, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ogun State chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole in his goodwill message appealed to FG to avoid policy summersault that have been hindering the SMEs from achieving their goals.

Reacting against allegations that labour is causing obstacles against privatisation, Bankole noted that without labour unions, government would have taken more destructive steps which would have jeopardised the wellbeing of the masses.

“Concern of labour leaders is not against privatisation but against selling the nation’s property into the hands of wrong hands as the country is currently witnessing in the privatisation of energy and others,” Bankole explained.

Similarly, the Director, Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr James Oyesola, reminded participants that since the purpose of the workshop is to provide future plans for journalists which would serve as pension plans, he enumerated many areas, like crash crop, fish farming and other areas which when maintained can create life-long engagement for media and other pensioners.

Earlier in her welcome address, LAWAN Chairman, Comrade Abimbola Oyesola said the purpose of the 2022 workshop was to equip labour writers for future plans and to act as plan-b that while doing their jobs should have other means of livelihood.

Allcitynews.ng discovered that SMEs play vital roles in civilised economy. accounts for 90 per cent of businesses and are known to create over 50 per cent employment.