The African Economic Merrit Award (AEMA) has called on the Federal and State Governments to invest adequately in Entrepreneurship to enable youths become self reliant and for economic development of the country.
The President/Founder of AEMA, Mc Eva Temofe, made the call during the 2nd AEMA Inspire University Tour, Seminar and Two million naira students Grant at the University of Abuja.
Temofe said if the government had done enough on entrepreneurship, the high rate of unemployment and youth restiveness wouldn’t have been high the way it was in the country.
According to him, it was high time to have a reduction rate on unemployment by investing in entrepreneurship for the development of the country.
“I would say the government has not done enough to support the Nigerian Youth, if they had done enough; we will not have the high rate of unemployment we have now in Nigeria.
“We are open to partnership and we are open to collaborations by private organisations for us to work collectively and reduce unemployment drastically.
“So I call on the Federal and State Governments to partner with entrepreneurship organisations to help build and raise entrepreneurs so as to reduce unemployment in the country,” he said.
However, he called on the prospective youth entrepreneurs in the country to develop the right attitude towards starting a business venture to become self reliant and be successful in future.
Besides, he, noted that it was important for an entrepreneur to be flexible in attaining success in business, saying that there was need to make total sacrifice, be disciplined, dedicated and zeal for acquiring knowledge to develop business ideas.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, called on the students to be innovative and engage in entrepreneurship studies for self reliance after graduation, as white colar jobs were no longer available.
Na’Allah, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Accademics, Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi, said the University encourages students in all faculties to engage in entrepreneurship studies as the centre has MoU with NCC and Abuja Chamber of Commerce.
According to him, the university also encourages students to study foreign language as second language gives one an edge in terms of job opportunities for the development of the country.
A 400 level student, Department of Animal Science and applicant of the AEMA students Grants, Joel Benson, commended the organisation and promised to develop himself in Agroprenuer if given the Grant. (NAN)