RSG Blames Poverty On Poor Enterprise Culture

The Rivers State Government, has blamed the high level of poverty in the state on the near  absence of a culture of enterprise among the people.

Governor  Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who said this during the launching of the International Centre for Micro Finance and Social Enterprise Nigeria Limited (ICMSE) by the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) in Port Harcourt, also urged for reform of the land tenure system to enable people access to loan.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barrister Chuma Chinye, said that because of the importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the economy, the administration has put in place a number of programmes to promote the development of small businesses in the state.

He also commended the RSSDA for the programme which he described as the best programme to be developed by the Agency in recent times in the state.

The Executive Director of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) Mr. Noble Pepple, said that the programme which was done in partnership with the International Centre for Micro Finance and Social Enterprises (ICMSE) of Bangladesh, was to stimulate the Small and Medium Enterprise sector in the state.

Mr. Pepple said that the Agency has identified three core areas to create an impact. The areas include education, agriculture and job creation through skills and vocational training.

He said that the ICMSE launching is intended by the Agency to move people out of poverty, strsessing that in the next two years, the programme will create a vibrant SMEs sector in the state.

According to him, to achieve this, the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) will be setting up an apex fund to source for financial support from organisations around the world, while the trainees will be assisted to get access to a viable system where they can obtain credit.