The Federal Government has been urged to step up its investment to address the hurting epileptic power supply across the country.
The Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran, made the call during the unveiling of LearnSmart in Ota, Ogun State.
Prof. Ojediran who was represented at the event by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Arisa, emphasised the importance of a stable power supply to creating jobs, empowering the teeming Nigerian youth population and ultimately enhancing the country’s economic prosperity and development through the growth of small and medium-scale businesses.
Ojediran identified the need for the Federal Government to work assiduously in providing stability in power supply to reduce the number of companies folding up.
He noted that companies cannot survive without a stable power supply, decrying the situation where entrepreneurs spend so much to purchase petroleum to power their generators due to the lack of a steady power supply.
He said, “This idea of establishing a company and also sourcing or generating electricity by yourself is killing businesses across the country.
“Also, that is the reason why many young people are leaving or travelling out because there is no sustainability in whatever they established.”
Ojediran added that getting the challenge of unstable power supply resolved would help create a strong backbone for the establishment of small and medium businesses and generate more employment opportunities that would drive national development.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LearnSmart, Mr Sanni Adedokun, commended the Federal Government for its proposed plan to train three million technical talents but urged it to improve on infrastructural development to boost the digital economy across the country.
The tech professional identified poor electricity, internet problems and the readiness of people to accept solutions built by others, as major challenges
Source: The Punch