Nigeria Content Online

The shortage of
entrepreneurs is affecting the growth of Nigeria and its people,
chairman of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human
Development Fund in Osun State, Segun Aina, has said.

Mr Aina, a retired
Managing Director of the Fountain Trust Bank, who spoke at a
stakeholders meeting of the UNDP on Tuesday, said Nigeria is lagging
behind owing to low technical know-how and poor entrepreneurship skills
of its people.

He said Nigeria can only develop if it promotes technology and entrepreneurs.

“There is shortage
of entrepreneurs in the country today, and this is affecting the
nation’s development. A country can only develop if entrepreneurship is
developed. The most worrisome situation in Nigeria today is that even
those who have the entrepreneurship knowledge are not well trained if
at all they are trained,” he said To this end, Mr Aina explained that
the UNDP has concluded arrangements to establish Skill Acquisition
Centres in all the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State, with the
aim of training youth on various entrepreneurship skills.

He disclosed that
the centres will commence operation by the first quarter of next year,
adding that the right group of people will benefit from the programme.

“This would reshape the lives of the youth and improve the nation’s economy,” Mr Aina said.

He also praised the
UNDP’s assistance to people through microfinance loans and community
intervention programmes, saying most communities in the state have
benefited from the UNDP Integrated Community Development Project.

“The UNDP is determined to alleviate poverty in the country through
provision of financial assistance and necessary needs for the teeming
populace,” he said.