By Chioma Uwakwe
The Ebonyi State office of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has partnered with the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) to host a town hall meeting aimed at sensitizing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on the vast opportunities in raw materials development and business reforms in the state.
The event, held in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), brought together a wide range of stakeholders including artisans, fleet operators, hotel owners, entrepreneurs, market associations, chambers of commerce, state and federal regulatory agencies, financial institutions, and industry leaders.
In her remarks, the Director General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, commended the initiative and reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to enhancing the ease of doing business across Nigeria. She explained that the SABER programme, implemented in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Government, seeks to identify and remove regulatory bottlenecks that hinder business growth while introducing key reforms to support entrepreneurship and drive economic development.
Among the initiatives being rolled out under the SABER programme are the establishment of a Small Claims Court to expedite commercial disputes, the Framework for Responsible and Inclusive Land-Intensive Agriculture (FRIHA), a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) platform across key service Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the implementation of various Executive Orders signed by the state governor to improve the investment climate.
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Speaking at the event, the RMRDC Ebonyi State Coordinator, Mrs. Nnenna Agbafor emphasized the Council’s mandate in this regard which is the formulation of policies and programmes on the acquisition, development, and utilization of raw materials, the adaptation of machinery and processes for industrial application, and the promotion of research findings relevant to local sourcing of raw materials for Nigerian industries.
She informed that the Council is looking into ways to ensure growth and sustainability of raw material for industrial growth hence proposed the 30% value addition bill which is currently undergoing legislation process. Mrs. Nnenna highlighted the importance of creating awareness among SMEs about the abundance of raw materials available within Ebonyi State and the potential for value addition through innovation and localized production. They also reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by manufacturers in sourcing industrial raw materials and ensuring that the private sector is equipped with the knowledge to leverage available resources effectively.
The town hall served as a platform for open dialogue between business owners and government agencies, with participants engaging in robust discussions on regulatory hurdles, access to finance, and the need for infrastructure and policy support to scale enterprise activities in the state.
As part of the ongoing SABER initiative, both the RMRDC and PEBEC pledged to continue working with the Ebonyi State Government and other stakeholders to foster a more business-friendly environment that enables sustainable economic growth, job creation, and industrialization driven by local content.
The event concluded with a collective call to action for more collaboration between government institutions and the private sector to fully harness the economic potential of Ebonyi State’s raw materials and entrepreneurial talent.
