TOTAL E&P, SME-DN CENTRE LAUNCHES ITS SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE IN OBITE CIVICS CENTRE ON WEDNESDAY 23rd

By Anderson Hart

In furtherance of commitment by to develop Small and Medium Scale Enterprises as a panacea to fight poverty, unemployment, and idle-induced crimes in the society, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, TEPNG in collaboration with the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Centre SME-DN will be organizing a one day interactive tagged “OML58 Small Business Initiative”

According to the Acting centre Manager of SME-DN, Peace Nwaerema, the one day interactive summit that will also witness the launching of a Small Business Initiative Brochure is also aimed at showcasing SME-DN and stakeholders' effort in contributing immensely to the development of entrepreneurship and economy of the region. He said the event will also formally unveil Total's Small Business Initiative, SBI – a structured method accompanied by practical tools for supporting SME's.

President of Port Harcourt chamber of Commerce, Engr Emeka Unachukwu and Chairman OML 58 Consultative Committee, Wisdom Dike will be making key presentations on Entrepreneurship while the Chairman Board of Directors, SME-DN, Cyprian Ojum and Chika Chinwah Head Regional Development Unit Total E&P among others are key resource personalities are also expected to make presentations at the summit.

The event is slated for Wednesday 23rd October 2013 at the Obite Civics centre in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of R/S.

The small and medium scale enterprises development centre was established as part of Total E&P's effort to increase sustainable social and economic development of its host communities. According to the Chairman of the board of trustees of SME-DN, Mr Cyprian Ojum, the small business initiatives has recorded resounding success. He said TEPNG recognizes the fact that it had to provide a strategic support framework that is in line with its vision and motivation and partly from the expectations, needs and demands of the host community.

The SME-DN was incorporated on the 29th of april 2011 as an enterprise product and services provider limited by guarantee. The centre provides training, technical assistance, networking opportunities and counseling for SMEs, individuals and institutions as well as offer development services for public and corporate organization.

The centre provides training, technical assistance, networking opportunities and counseling for small and medium enterprises, individuals and institutions as well as offer development services for public and corporate organizations.

According to the Chairman Board of Directors SME-DN Centre, Mr Cyprian Ojum said the establishment of the centre was part of TEPNG's efrfrort to increase sustainable social and economic development of its host communities.

“Total Exploration and production Nigeria encourages partnerships amongst local actors to make sure the local population shares in the benefit of economic growth resulting from the company's activities. Hence the SME-DN centre was established in recognition of the company's role in providing the host community with a strategic support framework that seems partly from TEPNG vision and motivation, and partly from the expectations, needs and demands of the host communities” he said..