RMRDC plans investment promotion for cottage industries

IN line with the transformation agenda of government, the Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) will soon promote investment in knowledge driven resource-based cottage level industries in each of the geo-political zones in the country.The Director-General of RMRDC, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu,whodisclosed this yesterday in Asaba said that the policy was aimed at creating jobs, increase the level of industrialisation for wealth creation and consequently raise the standard of living of the people.Onwualu, who spoke at the opening ceremony of South-South Investors' Forum said that the Council's target was the establishment of at least one small-scale resource-based industry in each state of the South-South geo-political zone.Again, he remarked that the RMRDC is presently working on facilitating the emergence of raw materials processing clusters in different parts of the country, adding that under the programme, existing clusters would be strengthened while new ones would be created where necessary by providing common facilities in the area of infrastructure, capacity building in skills, access to finance, markets and technology.The director-general said: 'This programme will see to the emergence of at least one technology-based raw materials processing cluster in each of the 774 councils of the country based on the natural endowment of the area and local technology.'In his speech, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said that the Youth Empowerment Programme for the unskilled and unemployed youths, including the Youth Employment Agriculture and the enlargement of the scope of the Delta State Micro Credit Scheme for small and medium scale industries designed to empower the youths to improve their living standards.Represented by Mr. Kingsley Emu, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Uduaghan said that unemployment has become a major challengein the country, advising that the best way to confront the menace is to encourage the private sector, which he insisted is a major platform for employment generation.
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