Date: 2017-02-02

The Manager of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Ilorin Office, Mrs. Temilade Oladipo has charged Kwara youths to engage Small and Medium scale Enterprises to enhance their standard of living as the white collar job limited.

She stated this during a One-Day Seminar organised by a business firm - Highlander Consulting Ltd in collaboration with Kwara State Polytechnic, Institute of Business Administration Studies held at the school premises on Tuesday.

The manager, was represented by the Head of Customers Service, Mrs. Funsho Ade. Speaking on the theme 'How to register a Corporate company for small scale business,' she stressed that the seminar for students is a welcomed development because white collar jobs is not for everybody in the society now.

She said, "It is paramount for the younger generation to start looking inwards and see what they can do for themselves.

"There are lot of entrepreneurship skills available in every nook and crannies of the state, so embrace the opportunity to start small and come to us to register your firm.

"In the process of registering these businesses, we try to check and advice you on what you want are capable of doing and on some available opportunities that can be profitable.

According to her, the level of people's awareness on business registration with CAC for their small investment is growing compared to some decades ago.

She explained that the compliance department carry out surveillance to checkmate illegal companies existing without CAC permit and called on those that their licenses have expired to renew before being caught and fined appropriately.

Another guest speaker, the Managing Consultant on Saraki Empowerment and Employment Centre (SEEC), Mr. Nasir AbdulQuadri while speaking on 'redirecting Nigerian students towards adjusting to the current economic recession, 'stressed that the essence is to change the mindset of the youths to see them as potential investors in different sectors.

He said, "they should learn to evaluate themselves to begin to see opportunities as solution not problem to them. They must discover themselves and have passion for something.

"The general perception is that people are still not thinking towards engaging in SMEs in the state. The problem is that when you look at the banks in Kwara State they are making a lot of money through deposits because people are not going there to borrow for setting up businesses.

"The maginal proportion of our people is higher in saving than to invest because they don't borrow money. The only thing they do is to borrow money to marry and build houses but don't invest."

Abdulquadri urged the students to make judicious use of their time to engage in businesses because the country's economy is in darkness. Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Highlander, Mr. Temitope Daramola submitted that the seminar was initiated for students to benefit the essence of self-reliance considering the high rate of unemployment in the country.

He said, "the consultant which is into business development training and entrepreneurship skills will guide students who are keen to start any SMEs by writing a business plan."