By PROVIDENCE OBUH

President of the Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN), Prince Saviour Iche attributes the high rate of unemployment in the country to poor funding of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). In this interview, he  urges State Governments to release the Industrial Development Centres (IDC) in their state for industrial development. He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should do a critical check on the activities of Microfinance Banks.

What is happening in AMEN?

Presently the industry is not doing well, we are in the third month and the budget has just been passed, the industry is stagnant because the governments who are suppose to encourage local manufacturers with incentives are not doing so, knowing the importance of the industry and that is why unemployment is on the increase.

If the industry is doing well, unemployment will reduce and anytime you see high rate of unemployment, it shows that the industry is not doing well. The amenities that will make the local manufacturers active are not there, no power and there is no way you can run an industry without power, no matter how small it is.

Are you saying that budget implementation contributed to the slowdown in the industry?

In some countries, everybody is eager to listen to the budget, because it is important for the economy of a nation. If the budget can be implemented, then the problem of Nigerians would be less. They are budgeting billions of naira in the industry but we have never seen anything, we are still at zero level.

Power supply has improved, why complain about power?

If a country like Ghana can celebrate one year uninterrupted power supply, why are we celebrating three days power..  I run generator for my business and use N4, 000 worth of diesels per day, if you multiply four thousand daily for 26 working days, it is enough to pay salaries, is enough for me to buy equipments to help the industry. The issue of power should be a universal issue and not some having while others do not, we are all in the same country.

What do you want to achieve in the first quarter of this year

We want to sensitise more Nigerians on the need to own their businesses and be self employed. The only issue we have is the issue of finance, we have soap, cream, name it, it is an insult for a nation like Nigeria to import water, toothpick, little things that we can do and save the foreign exchange.

Our product do not sell much in Nigeria, they make wave outside than in the country. Some people bought our product from hawkers and took it to Spain, last week they sent somebody from Spain to come and buy that product. We have customers from Spain, South Africa, Ghana and Sierra-Leone who come to buy.

If government can encourage MSMEs, the likes of Dangotes will spring up in numbers. Let government raise money for  us to industrialise Nigeria, if Nigeria must achieve vision 2020, the micro sectors must not be neglected or the vision will be a mirage

Have you ever met with any of the Ministries and what is the outcome of the meeting?

I seek audience to meet with them and they have written to us for a meeting, up till today nothing, I believe after they read some of my interviews on the papers they quickly call for a meeting but that meeting has never hold till date. it is easier to borrow money as a small business person from the commercial banks than the Bank of Industry (BOI)

We can beat the Asians in technology, the brains are there but we are financially handicapped. There is no business that can grow without money. We are calling on the CBN Governor to look critically into the activities of microfinance banks. I have one MfB account which I left a long time ago, they still charge me till day, the little money I have, I left it and they still charge me per month. This is what we are facing and if nothing is done, there may be problem because unemployment is on the increase.

I have 45 workers on my payroll but over 80 applications are waiting on my table. Check the ratio, employment 45, 80 applications waiting, even for a remote area like Ijegun.

What result has the one million man march produced and the achievements?

The one million man match is a huge success, after the match, youths are coming up, seeing the vision of one family one product, and the need to be self employed. Most Nigerians working for foreign companies remain casual workers, they are not permanent.

We have line up plan for 2013, the match we did last year was in Lagos, we intend taking it all over the Federation.

The problem most of our members are facing is finance, we are soliciting for fund, we have been given the IDC centre at Ikorodu, there are so many things we need there and it is a plus for us. We appeal to Governors of other state to release the IDC centres in their state because IDC centres have been converted to private use instead of the original plan, which is for industry. Let us come and revive the industries in your states.