By Tony Edike

ENUGU-THE United Kingdom Department for International Development, DFID, also known as Ukaid, said Tuesday that the private sector remained an essential pillar for achieving the goal of sustained economic growth and poverty reduction in Nigeria.

The development partner said it viewed the private sector as very crucial in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, and would continue to partner with them as an essential ally for

providing basic services, infrastructure, investment and innovation in line with its mission to fight global poverty and work in partnership with other countries to achieve the MDGs.

DFID’s head of South-East/South-South regional office, Mrs. Olachi Chuks-Ronnie, made this known in Enugu, while welcoming participants at a one-day workshop on the role of the private sector in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The DFID, which operates through three regional offices in Nigeria with a head office in Abuja, reiterated its support for Nigerian government and states’ reform, partnerships and programmes aimed at ensuring that Nigeria’s own resources were used efficiently and effectively to achieve the MDGs and fight poverty and its consequences.

DFID’s head of South-East/South-South regional office, Mrs. Olachi Chuks-Ronnie, who made this known in Enugu, while welcoming participants at a one-day workshop on the role of the private sector in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

“Government cannot see everything, be everywhere and do everything. But government can create the space for the private sector and other stakeholders to make a contribution to the development agenda.

“The question though is this – to what extent has this been achieved, where can you all be located in the scheme of things, we may not have the answer but you are gathered here today to chat a new course,” said Ronnie.

Enugu State Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Mr. Godwin Ogenyi, while declaring the workshop open, said Nigerians must accept corruption as bad and worse crime against humanity, stressing that until the issue of corruption was dealt with, the country might not be able to move forward.

Ogenyi, who represented Governor Sullivan Chime on the occasion, said the government of Enugu State would continue to partner with the private sector to achieve the MDGs.

Consultants to the workshop spoke of the need for more private sector participation in diversification of the economy through different economic activities, stating that the more private sector involvement in economy, the more economic growth the nation would witness.