Niger Unfolds Plan to Revive Moribund Cottage Industries

From Saka Bolaji, Minna

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello on Tuesday unveiled the template for the revival of all moribund cottage industries in the state in a bid to boost its economic base.
He disclosed this when he received the report from Mrs. Hanna Gogo Lanko, Permanent Secretary, Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary to State Government and chairperson, technical committee set up to advice government on the planned partnership between the state and Bank of Industry (BOI) for the development of cottage industry in the state
The governor, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Mikail Al-Amin Bmitosahi, said his administration was set to inject life into all moribund cottage industries in the state in order to stimulate the micro economic base of the state and to reduce rural-urban drift.
Under the new “Restoration Agenda”, Governor Sani Bello said priority attention will be accorded cottage industries that are prepared to take advantage of the natural endowment of the state in their production and operation.
He pointed out that failure by entrepreneurs and cottage industry operators to cash in on the state’s comparative advantage in areas of indigenous endowment and the neglect of same by successive administrations were responsible for the folding up of many cottage industries in the state.
His words: “It is in the light of this that we planned to give adequate support to our cottage industries and local entrepreneurs who are ready to exploit and develop our indigenous endowments, in order to boost the micro-economic activities in the state.
“We believe in and are ready to invest in projects with practical sustainability potentials and those that will ensure the utilisation of indigenous natural endowment for the socio-economic promotion and development of our state,” the governor stated.
He commended the committee for the report and assured them of government’s resolve to implement its recommendations.
Membership of the technical committee was drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and private sector.