Obi resumes public engagement, advocates support for SMEs

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party statesmanlike candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has resumed nationalist engagements aft a little health-related break, reiterating his telephone for greater concern successful Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) arsenic a pathway to Nigeria’s economical growth, occupation creation, and poorness reduction.

Obi, who disclosed that helium had been distant connected his doctor’s advice, announced his instrumentality connected Monday done a connection connected his X platform. He said his archetypal nationalist engagement upon resumption was a sojourn to Maison de Helen (MDH), a Nigerian luxury manner marque established successful 1990 by decorator Helen Unuane and present jointly tally with her daughter, Elsie.

The erstwhile politician expressed delight astatine the creativity and innovation helium witnessed astatine the factory, describing MDH arsenic “living impervious of however Nigerian creativity, heritage, and endeavor tin resonate connected the planetary stage.” He noted that the marque has sustained the usage of indigenous fabrics—particularly from the Akwete people—to nutrient globally sought-after manner pieces.

Highlighting the captious relation of SMEs successful planetary economies, Obi cited studies showing that the textile and apparel manufacture is valued astatine $1.7 trillion and employs implicit 300 cardinal radical worldwide. He lamented that Nigeria is yet to afloat harness this potential, contrasting it with Bangladesh, wherever textiles make implicit $50 cardinal annually—surpassing Nigeria’s lipid revenue.

According to him, MDH presently provides nonstop and indirect employment to much than 50 young Nigerians but has the capableness to bash overmuch much with accrued concern and support.

“The illness of Nigeria’s textile manufacture has near the assemblage contributing small oregon thing to our economy,” Obi said. “But the dedication of the workers astatine MDH shows what is imaginable if we perpetrate to moving Nigeria from depletion to accumulation by supporting SMEs.”

He urged authorities and backstage stakeholders to replicate specified occurrence stories nationwide, stressing that empowering SMEs would alteration Nigeria into a hub of creativity and trade.

“A New Nigeria is possible,” helium concluded.

The station Obi resumes nationalist engagement, advocates enactment for SMEs appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.