The appointment of the youthful Hon. Arinze Chilo-Offiah as the DG Enugu SME Centre was greeted with mixed reactions. For one, Arinze Chilo-Offiah seemed so young and may know next to nothing leadership wise. For another, such seemingly sensitive position should not be left to a rookie who may have no pedigree in business management save for paper qualification. Yet other opposition and clannish chauvinists were more concerned about Offia’s emergence from same political zone and local government with the out gone DG wondering if such position is an exclusive reserve of the political zone and local government area.
The youth friendly governor of Enugu state, his Excellency Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was more concerned with his vision and dream for Ndi Enugu. While people raised the variegated concerns ranging from the mundane to the cogent, governor Ugwuanyi was confident that he was making the right decision in the young Offia as the substantive DG of Enugu SME Centre. Today, Hon. Arinze Chilo-Offiah is making a determined mark to justify Ugwuanyi’s confidence in his appointment and proving doubting Thomases wrong with his agility and business engineering of the SME Centre. The new song has changed to “Offia is the man, Gburu Gburu is the rider…”
Enugu Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Centre is a special purpose vehicle created by the government of Chimaroke Nnamani to identify, develop, train and expand enterprises and enterprenuers in Enugu State. The centre takes care of mini, micro, small and medium scale enterprises.
The pioneer DG of the Centre, Mr Anayo Agu might have made his mark as a resourceful business manager, but Hon. Arinze Chilo-Offiah took the Centre to an unimaginable level reminiscent of the midas touch of governor Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi. Today, Enugu State is better with the activities of the SME Centre courtesy of the ingrained impact of the intelligent and unassuming youthful DG, Arinze Chilo-Offiah.
Offia has since designed series of product packages aimed at improving the lots of budding enterprises and entrepreneurs in the state. There have been series of loan disbursements with minimal interest rates to stimulate the growth of small scale businesses. Fidelity Bank Plc, Polo Park branch in partnership with the SME Centre has been designated for the disbursement of these loans. There are series of training ongoing in various skill acquisition in all agro based businesses, auto mechanic and refurbishing etc. Today, Enugu SME Centre have trained over 2000 youths on ICT and infotech related fields. This have empowered the youths in no small way.
Recently, Enugu SME Centre launched another product which is school based especially in the Tertiary institutions. This is to engage students and equip them with at least one skill before leaving school. They have visited some schools like Enugu State college of education technical (ESCET), Peaceland college Enugu, Godfrey Okoye University Enugu, Institute of management and technology Enugu. Plans have been concluded for other schools like, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Coal City University, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). Coal City University College of Enquiry, Enugu State Polytechnic Iwollo and so on. There is also plan to reach out to Senior Secondary School in Enugu State too. By the time the centre is through with higher institutions of learning, no fewer than 20,000 youths would have been trained on various skills. This will reduce crime and total dependence on parents and guidance drastically.
Enugu SME is not for Enugu urban alone, there have been series of training and financial support for rural dwellers especially farmers. Traders are not completely left out of their plan. There is still loan for traders on a single digit interest rate. When government at the center is mouthing “trader moni” of a patry N10,000, Enugu State government doles out over N200,000 as incentives to the traders in the state.
Enugu SME Centre under Offia has done so well that the initial misgivings about his appointment has completely given way to feelings of satisfaction and songs of joy on his achievements so far at the center. It could not be gain-said that a visionary leader as Ugwuanyi courts excellence and crave for same in every critical sector to actualize his government objectives. Hon. Arinze Chilo-Offiah at Enugu SME Centre is a typical example of Ugwuanyi’s uncommon vision.
Indeed, Enugu di n’aka Chukwu.
Bibian Anekwe News..added..There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.
Written by
Leonard Ugwu
A political Analyst
Media Team Member: Enugu di n’akachukwu movement
