Business
NASSI Seeks Conducive Environment For Industrialisation
Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), has urged the Federal Government to deepen efforts in creating more enabling environment to grow Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
NASSI National President, Mr Ezekiel Essien gave the advice on Thursday in Abuja during an interview with newsmen.
According to him, enabling environment will encourage more stakeholders to industrialise Nigeria.
“The SMEs is an important engine for growth, employment generation and social cohesion in Nigeria.
“It is worrisome that despite the incentives, favourable policies and regulations and preferential support by government, SMEs have performed below expectation in Nigeria.
“ I think the major challenges facing SMEs include but not limited to enabling environment, government policies and access to finance.
“Enabling environment comprises qualities of infrastructure, access to market, water supply, access to modern technology and low investment in research and development.’’
Essien said that the vision of NASSI was to act as a veritable umbrella body and development support platform for small scale industrialists in Nigeria.
He promised that the association would work toward actualisation of its mandate and vision by activating the sector and empowering its members to work toward a sustainable small scale industrial development.
The national president said that the core values of NASSI were integrity, transparency, accountability and productivity drive toward industrial development and self-reliance.
Essien said that NASSI had so far created 500,000 jobs and related opportunities through its members in the informal sector.
According to him, the organisation is working assiduously to integrate the informal sector into the mainstream economy through capacity building and training.
“The body has acted as the bridge between the SMEs, the marketers and the investors to ensure enhanced development for its members to create the much desired jobs.
This, he said, became necessary to reduce poverty level, especially at the grassroots.