A pro – Ogoni non-governmental organisation, the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), in partnership with some foreign investors, has designed incentives to encourage entrepreneurship in Ogoni area of Rivers State.
The Director of the initiative, Mr Douglas Fabeke, disclosed this in Lagos recently while speaking at a one-day conference organised by the Global Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the initiative.
He stated that the incentives were being designed to encourage local and international investors.
According to him, the key aim of partnership is to create a fresh concept in education, hi-tech, health, marketing entertainment, tourism and deliver programmes that meet the specific needs of the Ogonis.
This initiative according to him will shift the focus of Ogoni youths away from the belief that they can be enriched through the oil wealth, thus leading to agitations and arms struggle for oil sake.
“There are a lot of opportunities in Ogoni land and we as a group are ready to give the needed support to the youths and guide them through the possible challenges they might encounter”, he said.
The conference with the theme: “Start-up Founders Roundtable and Entrepreneurship”, according to Mr Douglas Fabeke was designed to provide N10 billion investment funds for the first phase development of entrepreneurship projects in Ogoni.
He stated that funding was the major problem facing business in Ogoni communities over the years, adding that, it is lamentable that the country’s banks have failed in this direction.
The OLI boss further explained that banks, by their strategic position, should assist the Ogoni sons and daughters who are in business, adding that since funding is a key factor, banks are best positioned to assist the growth of business in Ogoni land.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos