The Chairman of Principal Arena and owner of Platterz Restaurant, Mr Henry Dakpokpo, has said the huge unemployment rate in the country drove him to invest in small businesses.
He said initially, his restaurant alone employed over 30 people and counting, adding that other businesses in the group will collectively employ over 100 people.
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Mr Dakpokpo stated this at the weekend at the formal commissioning of Platterz in Mararaba, Karu LGA of Nasarawa State.
He said the business complex, known as the “Principal Arena’’, comprised a restaurant, lounge, laundry, barbers shop and beauty shops.
“This is the first outlet and our projection is that within 12 months we should have at least three or more outlets in FCT.
“I feel sad that the government alone has not been able to bridge the unemployment gap and we need to task our entrepreneurs to think outside the box; even those looking for jobs can become job creators.
“The thing is that we have taken 60 employees now and we are probably going to take a hundred as time goes on.
“If more entrepreneurs take a hundred employees each, we will definitely get a lot of people off the streets; reduce the number of unemployed and the rate of crimes.
“This is because people commit crimes because they want to eat,” he noted. The high point of the event was the donation of two toilets to the Abacha Road Police station as part of the restaurateur’s corporate social responsibility.