NDE boss harps on gains of informal sector

The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Dr. Nasir MohammedLadan, has said that the informal sector of the economy is the main key to the economic development of any nation.

The DG made the assertion at the opening ceremony of the training of 30 artisans of different skills in Basic Business Training (BBT) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Dr. Nasir MohammedLadan, whose agency is responsible for the training, said “Most of the developed nations of the world did not achieve economic prosperity because of the large corporations that exist in them, but through the small business based informal sector that provided employment for the majority of their populace.

“Therefore, the role of the local barber, shoe shiner, cobbler, hairdresser, fashion designer and similar players in the economy cannot be disregarded. After all, the small time barber can become a conglomerate tomorrow.

The director general who was represented by Engr. Femi Oyenekan, the

Ogun State Coordinator of the NDE, reiterated that despite the potentials of the informal sector operators, “the actualization of their full impact can only become real when their businesses are successful.

“This can only be achieved if they are able to manage the technical and management aspects of their businesses, hence this training,” he said.

The Basic Business Training (BBT) scheme, it was stated, is takingoff only in 12 states of the Federation; two states from each geopolitical zone. The twe12 pilot states are to produce 360 participants (trainees) with each state producing 30 participants.