Irregular and poor electricity power supply has been identified as a major challenge bedevilling micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
Speaking with journalists on the sideline of Jimpo-Ori’s 10th-anniversary celebration in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, the chairman, AMU-Gold Global Network, Mr. Temitope Amujo, said that the power problem has prevented entrepreneurs from reaching their potential in production capacity and to reduce youth unemployment.
Shea butter producing company urges Nigeria government to prioritize stable power supply.
Manufacturers of the Shea butter, who highlighted erratic power supply as a big challenge hampering operations of the organisation, emphasized the need for urgent and sustainable solutions.
Amujo said that “power outages disrupt daily operations, impede productivity, and strain resources, ultimately hindering the organization’s ability to deliver optimal services to its stakeholders”.
He, thus, called for the establishment of a mini-grid system in the organization’s premises, to ensure a stable power supply for the organization and the neighbouring communities. “Under this proposed arrangement, residents would pay for the consumed electricity, with revenues directed back to the government.
“One of the problems that the government can take away whether local, state, or federal is power. Give us power and we will empower people”, he said.
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Also, Amujo reiterated that in the next 10 years, AMU-Gold Global will be complementing the government by empowering people with the provision of job opportunities and raising millionaires and billionaires as distributors.
“AMU-Gold from seven, we have 110 staff today and the Human Resources department has promised me that in the next five years, we will be employing 1,000 staff. We want, in the next 10 years, to create 1 million jobs that we can be proud of”, he said.
Amujo further added that the issue of cutting down shea trees for charcoal was another challenge envisioned to deter the growth of the company. However, he pleaded with the government to join in flagging off the ‘Save to Share’ initiative, to plant 1 million shea trees.
He revealed that AMU-Gold Global will be working with global organizations as partners on a global green funding initiative to plant a minimum of 1 million shea trees to put rural women back to business.
“I am calling on every climate fighter to join us if you must plant a tree please plant a shea tree”, he said.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Jimpo-Ori, a seven-day programme is lined up, including, a visit to the motherless home, health work to share the pains of people with mental issues, an empowerment programme for young graduates with an entrepreneurial spirit, unveiling digital market trade fair to support people selling dairy products, and launch free Jimpo-fund package which will enable loan grant to people that want to be distributors.
Speaking on the birth of Jimpo-Ori, Amujo envisioned a product that would lead in cosmetics globally using natural ingredients like shea butter to produce household items like soap, lotion, and ointment that are eco-friendly.
According to him, Jimpo-Ori started with four products but now has about 20 lines of household products to nourish and nurture the skin.