Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State says his administration will replicate? the German model of small and medium scale enterprises development to address the challenges bedeviling prospective entrepreneurs in the state.
Amaechi said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Berlin,?Germany.
Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors? Forum (NGF), is leading a delegation of the forum on a tour to Germany.
The delegation includes governors of Enugu, Niger, Plateau, Borno and Katsina States.
NAN reports that the governors are understudying the German federal system of government, with a view to replicating the best practices in their respective states.
The tour was organised by the forum in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GAIC).
??I have always had this idea that if you want to do your private business go and do your private business with your own fund.
?? But with what we have seen here, we have seen that it is challenging for the people to need funds to establish their business.
??And manufacturing and other forms of economic development they seemed to be funded and they raise funds to do that.
??And when the companies grow, they raise taxes from there too, so, that way the government sustains itself and sustains the society.
??From that SMEs development you create employment, you create economic development and all that. I am looking at replicating that in Rivers State already.??
Amaechi also said that his administration would send a Bill to the State House of Assembly for the creation of the Rivers State Economic Development and Employment Generation Agency.
He said that a special fund would also be reserved for the establishment of new businesses by prospective entrepreneurs in addition to sustaining the growth of existing ones.
The governor said that he had made arrangements with officials of the German vocational institution to replicate such institutions in Port Harcourt city.
?? I have had an agreement with the vocational institutions here and we have agreed to replicate it the way it is here in Port Harcourt.
??Then, I need to talk with the Universities in Rivers State to ensure that when you graduate from those vocation institution after three years, you can be admitted to study engineering or whatever that you passed through.
??Or even if you do not want to study, then we can expose you to skill jobs.??
NAN reports that the governors are paying special attention to Germany’s administrative system, fiscal policy and the establishment of sustainable small and medium scale enterprises.
They are also meeting and wooing prospective European investors in different sectors to their states.
The German Agency for International Cooperation is currently helping to grow small scale businesses in some northern states in Nigeria.
The German government had also entered into agreement with the Nigerian government to help strengthen the country’s institutions by providing capacity training in Nigeria's energy sector to help address the challenges inherent in the sector. (NAN)