LAGOS – Mr. Goodie Ibru, Chairman, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Business Group in Nigeria, has attributed the dearth of artisans to Nigerians’ lacklustre attitude toward skill acquisition.
Ibru made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta shortly after the group’s closed door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said this had led to the take over of Nigerian artisan jobs by foreigners, even though the institutions that train artisans in the country were still functioning.
“I think we must start to get Nigerian artisans involved in doing businesses.
“If Nigerians are not involved in doing businesses, then, the foreigners will do those businesses and this type of challenges will continue to occur,” Ibru said.
According to him, one of the things that NEPAD is doing is to work with the government to improve the opportunities for creating skills.
“This will make the artisans available and Nigerians will be encouraged to acquire these skills,” he said.
On infrastructure, Ibru said that the group would engage the public sector to ensure that the nation’s infrastructure were in good shape.
“Because that is the only way you can inspire and encourage private sector to invest in the nation’s economy,” the NEPAD chief said.
Ibru also said that the government should be involved mainly in creating the enabling environment for investors, with the full privatisation of the power sector.
He said the Federal Government already had its programme for privatisation and that whatever would move the economy to being private sector-driven was welcome.
“That is one area in which the private sector will offer to participate and assist toward the realisation of such objectives of privatisation of the PHCN,” Ibru said.
Reports say that Bamanga Tukur, Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group in Africa, had led the delegation of the group to meet Obasanjo, a founding father of the initiative.
NEPAD Business Group Nigeria was inaugurated by Obasanjo in Abuja on July 1, 2004 with 45 foundation members.
It was set up to provide a framework for mobilising leading business organisations in the country and Africa.
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