Insecurity, Lack Of Govt Support Threat To Small Scale Enterprises – Ex-Minister

A former minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Samson Ogar, has decried the stifling of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, blaming it on worsening insecurity and lack of government support.

Ogar, who is president and founder of Masters Energy Group, said SMEs which are the engine of community economies can no longer breathe due to the twin challenges of insecurity and policy neglect.

The ex-minister made the remarks at a business workshop organised by the Favour Brothers of Uturu, a faith-based business network, which took place in Calabar during the weekend.

Ogar warned that many small businesses were shutting down because the owners could move freely from one location to another due to the spat of insecurity in the country.

he added that lack of access to the needed support had also crippled many SMEs nationwide.

“Insecurity is a very big threat to every business. When people cannot move freely from one place to another, business cannot thrive. Government must put in more effort to secure life and property so that people can do business freely,” he added

He also faulted the nature of government policies, saying they hardly address the real needs of small operators. “Government policies are general policies,” he noted.

“But what we are saying is that government should make policies that touch the lives of the people. That is what will help small-scale industries to thrive.”

Ogar said that while government has a role to play, entrepreneurs must also stop working in isolation. “The time has come for Christians and business people to come together from their various communities,” he said.

“We must stop working in silos. If we come together as one, we can impact our communities and grow our businesses.”

Earlier, president of Favour Brothers Uturu, Ogoro Chikwendu Ransome, said the group was in Calabar for its annual meeting and business tour, a platform where members from different cities converge to share ideas and drive collective growth.

The workshop, which brought together entrepreneurs, professionals and community leaders, ended with a call for stronger networking and expansion of the initiative to more communities across the country.

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