The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has urged SMEs to promote local technology in line with the policy of the present administration.

The Director-General of SMEDAN, Dr Dikko Radda made the call in Enugu at the inauguration of Vocational Entrepreneurship Development Association of Nigeria (VEDAN).

Radda urged local entrepreneurs to promote the reformation of local technology and adequate openness to foreign technology in accordance with the local content and patronage of made in Nigeria policies.

He said that it had become imperative for the country to leverage on its huge human resources to promote indigenous enterprise and economic growth.

The D-G said that the event was part of efforts aimed at advancing small and medium enterprises in the South East by building the capacity of young people through vocational training.

Radda described the move as apt in the development of entrepreneurial culture.

According to him, the high incidence of poverty in the country occasioned by poor linkage between the private and public sectors has become worrisome.

“The economic miracles witnessed in Asia have clearly shown that development is driven by the innovativeness, creativity and enterprises of the people.”

“Nigeria has not been able to enact similar feats owing to poor linkage between knowledge and development and poor synergy between the private and public sectors of the economy,” he said.

Radda said that VEDAN was a strategic partner in advancing the entrepreneurship and enterprise development in the country.

Earlier in an inaugural speech, the National President of VEDAN, Dr Walter Madu said that the aim of the association was to build new set of entrepreneurs across the South-East.

Madu said that VEDAN represented an economic hub, orientation home and a display window for excellent minded entrepreneurs and artisans.

He said that members of the group would be trained in their chosen fields after which they would be empowered to start up their chosen trade.

The president said that the association would strive to recreate the vocational creativity, artistic prowess and entrepreneurial ingenuity that would activate industrial revolution in the zone.

“The dream of the association has been made easier by the diversification drive of the Federal Government which was however threatened by the lack of capacity and resources by some Nigerians.”

“The government echoes diversification, and the people also want it but they lack the capacity and resources to actualise this dream.”

“Happily, VEDAN has emerged with the vision and mission to assist the people attain the goals.”

“This organisation has come to revive the dying practice of vocational training and is concluding partnership with relevant government agencies,” Madu said.

One of the members of the association, Miss Caroline Mgbada from Ebonyi said that she joined the group due to the promise it held for members.

Mgbada said that she had not been able to get a job since her graduation from the tertiary institution and saw the opportunity as a window that would make her become economically stable.

The highlight of the event was the administration of oath of membership to members of the association and the inauguration of Enugu and Ebonyi states executive members.

Source: FG