Mrs Amaechi Tasks MAN On SMEs

Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi has
urged Manufactures Association of Nigeria (MAN) to explore the economic
opportunities in rural communities with a view to boosting the growth of Small
and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

Dame Amaechi stated this Thursday during the 2012 Annual
General Meeting of the Rives / Bayelsa States chapter of the Association in
Port Harcourt.

Mrs Amaechi stated that identifying potential market for
natural endowment within rural communities will add multiplier effect on the
economy and increase the nation’s gross domestic product.

“I humbly urge you to initiate programmes that will identify
and explore resources available within our rural communities with a view to
finding a market for the nation”, she said adding  that the success and growth of the nation’s
economy should be adjudged and measured by the peoples standard of living.

It is true that our economy is developing and we are on the
path to becoming one of the 20 world economy in 2020 but the success of the
economy will be determined and measured by the improved standard of living of
the citizenry.”

She charged the association to capitalize on the tax holiday
and incentives provided by the federal government to create jobs for the
youths, pointing out that Nigeria will be losing its productive sector if the
youths are not properly engaged in productive ventures.

The organized private sector should capitalize on government
incentives to create job for our teeming youths because no nation can develop
without harnessing the potential and energy of the youths, Dame Amaechi
stressed.