The Bayelsa State Government has said that its collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NDCMB), and Industrial Training Fund (ITF), is to position the state for rapid industrial development.

The state deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd), stated this on Tuesday during the Business Linkage Forum, which has as its theme: ‘Inspiring Local Business Growth Through Creating Partnership’ at the Chief DSP Alamieyesigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Yenagoa.

John-Jonah decried the lack of industrial culture in the state and urged all stakeholders to work together to bridge the gap so as to ensure development, while also calling for an attitudinal change in doing business.

“We must accept, as Bayelsans, that we are very deficient in industrial culture and these are the gaps you (entrepreneurs) must close; as a state, all that we are doing is to position ourselves for rapid industrial development,” the deputy Governor said.

He commended NDCMB for its effort in encouraging and promoting local content in the state, and enjoined players in the oil and gas industry to emulate the board, while assuring entrepreneurs in the state of an enabling environment for businesses to thrive to further drive development.

Appreciating the ITF for collaborating with the state government in the training of youths in vocations to be self-reliant, Rear Admiral John-Jonah, appealed to financial institutions to encourage entrepreneurs by reducing loan requirements and interest rates.

He enjoined the participants to take advantage of the programme while charging the organisers to do more in bringing local and foreign resource persons to impart knowledge on Bayelsans.

In a welcome address, Commissioner for Trade and Business Development, Mr. Stanley Braboke Enaibagha, said the Business Linkage Forum was packaged to bring together young business entrepreneurs, to link up with institutions that have the capacity to support them to grow their businesses.

He said one key role of his ministry is to regulate the market place and create the enabling environment for business and industrial activities to thrive and generate revenue for the state, noting that it is important to create opportunities for young Bayelsans and business owners by linking them with experts through the programme.

In a lecture entitled ‘The Role of Government in Enterprise Developmen’, the Secretary to State Government, Mr. Kemela Okara, said the Bayelsa state government has through its Bayelsa Business Council initiative played a vital part in linking successful entrepreneurs with start-ups and younger persons seeking business role models.

Mr. Okara, however, stated that Bayelsa is still faced with the challenge of developing the mindset and culture of doing business while stressing the need to inspire, train and mentor a whole new generation of entrepreneurs on the principle that leads to success in business.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, represented by Mr. Ginah O. Ginah, said the board has played a major role in providing employments and an enabling environment by assisting the government to bring in corporate entities to invest, through the completion of its 17-storey headquarters building in Yenagoa.

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