FIRS boss: New Nigeria possible with entrepreneurship, industrial hubs

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Nami, has said a beautiful Nigeria is possible through the proliferation of entrepreneurship and industrial hubs across the country, noting that the adoption of this model would create all-round economic transformation.

Nami, in his Independence Message to Nigerians issued on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Johannes Wojuola, urged Nigerians to invest in creating entrepreneurship and industrialisation hubs, saying they hold the “key to unlock the massive economic potentials of the country.”

The FIRS boss called on state governments to emulate the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Village which was set up to groom and harvest talents for the industrialisation of the state.

He urged other state governments to adopt this model and set up similar hubs in their states as a way of channeling the energies of young Nigerians to productive use.

“Nigeria is a country with limitless potentials. We are resilient and talented people, and what these young Nigerians need is the enabling environment to thrive.

“A good place to start is the setting up of entrepreneurship and industrial hubs across every state in the country. This would set off a chain-reaction that would turn around the fortunes of the country, and tap into the potentials of our vast young and dexterous population,” Nami stated.

The FIRS chairman further called on state governments to adopt and deploy this model as a strategy to tackle issues of unemployment and insecurity, while spurring economic activities in their states.

“The model will take young people away from the streets and put them into productive activities.

“You will be surprised by the amount of jobs that would be created. Multitudes would have their lives changed, and an abundance of economic activities would be sparked across the nooks and crannies of our country in an unprecedented manner. Nigeria has what it takes to lead the world, and this is one way to go,” he added.

Nami, however, urged Nigerians to see themselves as the drivers of the country’s development through their patriotic conduct, such as paying taxes.

“I am a firm believer that each of us has a role to play in building the Nigeria of our dreams. But we can only achieve this when we are patriotic and carry out civil obligations expected from us, such as respect for law and order, paying our taxes, and loyalty to our country,” the FIRS said.

The Star