Unemployment has remained a major econmic challenge facing Nigeria Youths, and the Delta State Governor Doctor Ifeanyi Okowa has reiterated his administration Commitment to provide the enabling environment and necessary supports to ensure the youths are taken off the streets and become employers of labour.
The Governor stated this at a graduation ceremony of 1,000 graduands of the 2020/2021 programme cycle of the State Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurship Programme (YAGEP) held at Events Centre, Asaba.
Governor Okowa who congratulated the graduands on their successful passing out of the programme haven received their starter packs in their trained skills to establish their various business entreprises, admonished them to remain focus while persuing their dreams.
“I want to urge you to stay strong, focused and we believe that together we can ensure the continuity and the growth of our various youth entrepreneurship programmes if you partner with us as we go into the new dispensation that is coming.
The Governor who expressed dismayed over how some individuals keep recycling themselves just to benefit from all the state government job and wealth creation of the state government, he warned that henceforth, the state government would no longer tolerate people registering in other programmes after they had been trained and empowered in another programme.
He revealed that such acts were inimical to the progress of the state as perpetrators were blocking the chances of other Deltans from benefiting from the various job creation schemes.
The Governor lauded the Job and Wealth Creation Bureau for its diligent and professional handling of the programmes to become a major success story of his administration.
He assured that with the enabling law establishing the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, the state’s job creation programmes would be sustained beyond his administration.
He commended the youths of the state for their dexterity and focus, assuring that in years to come the benefits of the programme would be manifest nationwide.
I thank the Delta State House of Assembly because the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau has been legislated on and signed into law.
“It is only an irresponsible leader that would not continue with this laudable programme but by the special grace of God we will not have an irresponsible person in government.
“We have expanded it beyond the Job and Wealth Creation Office including the RYSA Programme in the Ministry of Youths, GEST, WESAP and the ICT-YEP,” he said.
The Governor who was flanked by his Deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro paid glowing tribute to the people who gave life to the program including Dr Kingsley Emu, Professor Eric Eboh, Dr Kingsley Obiora Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and Hon. Festus Agas among others.
He announced a cash reward of N500,000 each for 75 outstanding STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs adopted into the Job Creation Hall of Fame.
Welcoming guests earlier, Director-General of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, Professor Eric Eboh said the ceremony marks the formal closure of the 2020/2021 cycle of STEP and YAGEP, the 6th in the job creation programme series since 2015.
He said the cycle covered 1,000 beneficiaries comprising 654 STEPreneurs and 346 YAGEPreneurs, including 25 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), one in each of the 25 Local Government Areas.
According to him, all 1,000 beneficiaries have been duly trained in occupational, entrepreneurial and business skills and have been given starter packs and shop rent support.
“Beneficiaries were given starter packs and support packages in batches upon successful completion of all the phases of training and fulfilling the eligibility requirements.
“Altogether, the job creation programmes – STEP and YAGEP – have covered 6,074 beneficiaries from 2015 to date. This number is part of the expanding portfolio of the state government’s job creation and youth empowerment programmes including RYSA, GEST, WESAP and ICT-YEP.
“In addition to the 1,000 graduands gathered here today, we have assembled a small sample of outstanding previous STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs already profiled in the STEP & YAGEP Hall of Fame.
He said the Bureau has created some institutional development tools developed and already being applied by Delta Job and Wealth Creation Bureau to ensure organizational and programme sustainability into the future.
“The sustainability tools include our online programme management information system (MIS); the Job Creation Magazine series published since 2015; the satellite-based digital survey map of all verified YAGEP farm enterprises throughout the state and the 5-Yr Masterplan of Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau.
“All 1,000 beneficiaries here today are particularly happy and excited about this unique opportunity to say thank you and to receive your fatherly blessings for their enterprise endeavours,” Prof. Eboh stated.
In their valedictory speech, Gure Oghenetejiri, a STEPreneur in POP, Screeding and Painting from Ughelli North and Onakpoya Evuarhere, a Poultry YAGEPreneur from Ethiope East commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the state government for the life opportunity given to them to acquire skills and become business owners.
I am not a benefitiary someone should please tell me how to join this program
I need a link to join this program