Recession: FG vows to encourage, promote indigenous manufacturers

THE Federal Government has vowed to encourage indigenous fabricators in line with its local content initiative as well as providing impetus for the accelerated growth and development of the nation’s economy.

Director General and  Chief Executive Officer, of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, who said this, stressed that indigenous fabrication remained a panacea for Nigeria to get out of the wood, especially in this recession period.

He spoke in Abuja at the just concluded  National Fabricators’ Workshop with the theme: “Stimulating Economic Growth during Recession through Indigenous Fabrication Technology Capability and Awareness”.

Represented by Engineer David Abu Ozigi, Director Engineering Technology,Innovation and Infrastructure, Radda, said indigenous fabricators  were a very vital force in the promotion and development small scale medium enterprises in the countrty.

He further pointed out that provision of enabling environment for local fabrication to grow would not only encourage wealth creation but reduce the dependent on foreign goods and services in Nigeria.

He said: “Their useful role is derived from the know how in fabricating appropriate machinery and equipment for the production of goods and services, which enhances economic growth through increase in GDP

“A fabricator needs to imbibe the spirit of entrepreneurship for him or her to succeed running a competitive enterprise”.

He said that it was in recognition of this fact that  SMEDAN had collaborated with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) to maximally utilise the potential of fabricators in Nigeria.

Radda, said: “Maximum utilisation of indigenous fabricators in Nigeria will create wealth and give the nation the leverage to produce machineries and equipment that are otherwise imported. The spill over of this activity would engender sustainable economic growth.

“It is in recognition of this imperative that SMEDAN in year 2013, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding.MoU  with FIIRO to, among other things, acqure appropriate technology and innovation by MSMEs; facilitate access of MSMEs to FIIRO technologies; and provide business development and advisory services to MSMEs.”