24th May, 2012
Some small-scale business operators in Lagos have called on the Federal Government to pay more attention to power supply as President Goodluck Jonathan marks one year in office.
The operators called for faithful implementation of the President’s Economic Transformation Agenda so that small- scale businesses would thrive.
They said that problems affecting small-scale businesses would continue to recur until the economic blueprint was implemented to the letter.
The operators said that small-scale businesses had the capacity to drive the nation’s economy, but their growth was being stifled by the problems of poor transportation and energy supply.
Mr. Ugochukuw Etinan, a commercial motorcyclist, said that government’s inability to address the nation’s energy problem was the bane of the sector.
He said that the high cost of energy across the country had made it impossible for small-scale entrepreneurs to maximise their comparative advantages in some ventures.
Etinan also said that the absence of organised transportation system from the hinterland to urban centres was impacting negatively on the economy.
Sikiru Akanni, a welder, said that the huge sums he spent daily to generate power for his business might force the business into extinction.
He said that government’s inability to resolve the issue of power supply had made small-scale businesses unprofitable and unattractive to Nigerian youths.
“We don’t have light to work; we use generator. We spend about N5,000 a day if we want to buy diesel for generator and we buy a generator for between N170, 000 and N180, 000,” Akanni said.
Mrs .Taofikat Olatoye, a business centre operator, said that the poor power supply had made it impossible for small-scale businesses to drive the economy as should be.
Mrs. Olufunmilayo Abolaji, a hair stylist, said that she was still optimistic that things would improve given the President’s commitment towards improved energy supply.
She said that the recent improvement in the electricity supply in some areas had given her some hope that “that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”
“His one year in office is good in all aspects. Electricity is one of the major things we need in hair dressing and he has been trying in electricity.
“Though, the electricity supply is not 24 hours, but at least we do have electricity for about twenty hours in our area,” Abolaji said.
Mr. John Nweke, a dealer in raw food items, said that high cost of transportation had compelled him to transfer the additional costs to consumers.
He said that some small businesses might be forced out of the business unless government urgently introduced people-oriented economic policies.