Private sector should embrace CSR in Borno to reduce unemployment – Umara

Muhammad Bukar Umara, the Chief Executive Officer, Co-Development Hub, has urged the private sector to embrace practice of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) in order to support entrepreneurs and start-up ecosystem to tackle unemployment and joblessness in Borno State.

BusinessDay reports that Co-Development Hub held a day multi-stakeholders dialogue recently in Maiduguri, Borno State Capital on Corporate Social Responsibilities for supporting the youth and start-ups, themed, “Supporting the Youths and Start-up Ecosystem Through Corporate Social Responsibility”.

Speaking at the multi-stakeholders dialogue, Umara said the initiatives were designed to provide a platform between communities, young people and private sectors to discuss key issues that enhance youths’ productivity and skills, affirming that it would serve as an ignition to support young entrepreneurs learning from private sector actors and getting the support they need to accelerate start-ups.

“We organized this dialogue in a bid to engage the private sector stakeholders and profit-making ventures to work together with the State Government and Non-governmental Agencies, leveraging corporate social responsibility to support the youth and startup ecosystem as this will go a long way in reducing unemployment and joblessness, and contribute to our national development and growth as a nation.

Read also: The CSR bill and doing business in Nigeria

“Yes, in Borno State, many private companies and profit-making institutions do not implement CSR initiatives that contribute directly to the issues the state is facing, particularly lack of jobs and employment among young people, lack of support for young entrepreneurs and startups, which we believe is not the responsibility of only the government or NGOs.

“We believe the private sector can contribute tremendously in accelerating the development agenda of the state, especially through their CRS,” he said.

Also, Yussuf Mustapha, the Director of Youths in Borno State, underscored the importance of the event for Government to provide a platform for the teeming youths in the State.

“We shall engage the ministry of commerce and other relevant agencies to hold a town hall meeting with all the key players of the private sector in Borno state to discuss leveraging CSR to respond to some of the issues we are facing in the State”, he said..

Albashir Ibrahim, a Technology Specialist from ZOA International, called on private sector leaders to support young people in building businesses and startups, urging the young entrepreneurs in attendance to build relevant skills needed to develop their businesses.

“A lot of young people today jump into businesses without actual knowledge and experience in that field. Young people who seek to build the skills and knowledge required to run their startups”, he said.

Halima Bawah, Co-Development Hub, Project Lead, noted that the project aimed at creating a synergy among entrepreneurs, business owners and start-ups to raise awareness of integrating Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) into their activities.