Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

BACKGROUND OF THE CENTRE

Nigerians, especially the youths, in the past decades, have fallen deeper into poverty despite consistent increase in oil revenue over time. The accompanying economic growth has not translated into prosperity for the citizenry, hence the increasing incidence of poverty. Consequently, optimum development of the productive sector that will lead to meaningful wealth creation, resulting to reasonable income earned, including through employment generated in the process, is needed. The most veritable tool for achieving this desired goal is through entrepreneurship development, in view of the fact that entrepreneurs, especially those pivotal to the set up and running of small and medium enterprises, SMEs, which have been acclaimed and proved to be the engine of economic growth and development the world over.

Globally, it has been held and acknowledged that the most appropriate step in this direction (entrepreneurship development) is the institutionalisation of training in entrepreneurship. While this has been actualised even in most of the developed economies of the Western world and the foremost emerging economies at various levels of education including primary and secondary, some others like Nigeria have considered the tertiary level to be the most appropriate. This commenced in 2006 through a presidential directive via the Federal Ministry of Education, which made entrepreneurship education compulsory for all students in tertiary institutions in the country, effective from the 2007/2008 academic session.

The overall objective of the educational directive is to not only educate the youths, but particularly to foster entrepreneurship culture among them who constitute a considerable proportion of the total population. The ultimate goal is to produce an army of entrepreneurial-minded citizens with the skills and mentality to establish and manage sustainable business ventures, thereby transforming the economic landscape of the nation with the desired impact on improved income/welfare and reduced poverty.

The role for actualising this noble goal has been assigned to the Entrepreneurship Development Centre. The Entrepreneurship Development Centre of Plateau State University is under the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University. The Centre is headed by a Director, who is a seasoned senior academic staff, reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor. The pioneer head was Professor Rahila Gowon, who set up the structure and framework for its establishment and optimal functioning. Followed by Mbwa Williams Adiak as acting Director, who has considerable academic and practical business experience and recently, the Vice Chancellor appointed Prof. Longmas S. Wapmuk as the Director of the Centre. It has a staff strength of Six (6).

VISION OF THE CENTRE

To become one of the foremost Centres for Entrepreneurship Studies and Development in Africa.

MISSION OF THE CENTRE

To promote Entrepreneurial culture, self-employment, economic independence, and self-actualisation among the youths through the utilisation of innovation and creativity within its sphere of influence.

OBJECTIVES/ FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTRE

The major objective of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development is to establish a facility to house ESP 300 programmes and expand business incubation programmes that have national focal point for idea formulation and exchange with economic development through entrepreneurial efforts in Plateau State, and perhaps the North Central geo-political zone of Nigeria. Some of the functions are as follows:

1)     Creating and developing knowledgeable, enterprising and effective entrepreneurs.

2)     Developing entrepreneurial culture in students and staff of PLASU and the entire Plateau citizens.

3)     To establish well-equipped facilities for the acquisition of skills considered crucial to entrepreneurship.

4)     To serve as incubator of business ideas and programmes.

UNITS IN THE CENTRE

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development is positioned to have five Units namely:

1. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: This unit is responsible for identifying new products and processes or improving existing ones; hence providing a platform for creativity and innovation to flourish in an organisation, thus contributing to sustainability of business. It also focuses on discovering new and better ways or methods of training entrepreneurship for optimal results.
2. EDUCATION AND TRAINING: This department takes charge of the training of students/staff and other persons in the knowledge, values, beliefs and habits critical for a sustainable entrepreneurial and general economic development culture, generally, and skills in various trades/businesses, specifically.
3. CONSULTANCY, BUSINESS AND MARKETING: This unit is conceived to help in growing the Centre, specifically and the University, generally, economically. As developments unfold, the Centre is poised to develop and execute a rich variety of entrepreneurial development programmes for different target groups aside its students, including members of the immediate business community, private and public sector employees, retired employees, and various classes of entrepreneurs including life style, social and growth with focus on diversification. Besides, standard, high-value products are envisaged to result from the practical aspects of its raining, let alone the consultancy services, hence the need for appropriate marketing framework.
4. ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE: Accountability is key in the smooth running of every organisation/establishment hence, the existence and role of this unit, crucial for administrative stability and achievement of the goals of the Centre, as contribution to the University’s overall mission.
5. PROCUREMENT: In view of its nature, the Centre requires variety and updated facilities/equipment periodically, hence the role of this unit. Where appropriate, this unit could contribute to value-addition at the University’s central procurement activities.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE CENTRE

• We have successfully equipped five sets of graduating students with practical entrepreneurial skills, some of whom have taken up entrepreneurial ventures as vocation. The skills include:
  1. Fisheries and Aquaculture
  2. Carpentry and wood work
  3. Painting
  4. Bed sheet and Duvet making
  5. Window blinds and Curtains
  6. Refrigerator repairs
  7. Perfumery and soup making
  8. Photography.
• The success of the skills acquisition training is reflected in quite many products of the training sessions, most of which are of comparable standard and quality with those in the market. As displayed in the Centre, these include:
  1. Window blinds and Curtains
  2. Bedsheets and Duvets
  3. Wardrobes
  4. Bed frames

Besides, the former University guest house was beautifully painted by the students to the admiration of all within the location and guests, a further testimony of the effectiveness of the skills acquisition programme.

• Contributed reasonably to employment generation and poverty reduction as some of the graduates have gainfully used the skills they acquired at the centre to set up businesses of their own, and in the process, employing others.

PLANS/CONCLUSION

As developments unfold, the Centre is poised to continuously key in to the University’s Management’s vision of a foremost national and international academic and human development citadel, through executing the relevant programmes. What is required is support in the relevant areas.

Prof. Longmas S. Wapmuk

Director