Jimoh Ahmed, Owo

Cottage, small and medium scale industries remain the best solution to the rural-urban drift in Nigeria as they are also the quickest means of an all round development and transformation of the country’s rural communities.

A former National Deputy President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Olumoru of Imoru Kingdom in Ose Local Government of Ondo State, Oba Oluwarotimi Obamuwagun, made this declaration while speaking at the end of a five-day Skills Empowerment programe held at Imoru at the weekend.

Oba Obamuwagun said cottage industries, if well managed can turn a village to an industrial hub within few years.

” The implication of having individual producers of basic needs like soap, cosmetics, processed foods and others by small scale entrepreneurs in a small community like Imoru is that industrial development of the place has commenced”.

The monarch therefore called on government at all levels in the country to encourage those who are interested in establishing small scale industries in the rural areas by providing an enabling environment, security services and financial assistance.

He posited that government can solve the unemployment problem in the country by encouraging individuals to engage in self employment by setting up small businesses in the rural areas and give those who have learnt one skill or the other, the much needed assistance.

He, however, stressed that in achieving the aim of transforming and develop local communities, government must take the business of securing lives and properties seriously.

According to him, in the face of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbers, ritual killings and farmers/herdsmen clashes, no one is interested in doing business in the rural communities where all these security challenges are rampant.