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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Twenty-five persons with various forms of disabilities were among the 1,000 beneficiaries of the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and Youth Agriculture Entrepreneurship Programme (YAGEP), the flagship empowerment schemes of the Delta State government, recently.
The 25 persons with disabilities (PWDs) were drawn from each of the 25 local government areas of the state to make up the 1,000 for the 2020/2021 cycle of the programme, which started at the inception of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa administration in 2015.
Under YAGEP in the present cycle, 346 beneficiaries, branded YAGEPreneurs, were trained in agriculture and agri-business, and equipped with starter packs relevant to their fields.
In the STEP category, the 654 beneficiaries, branded STEPreneurs, were trained in different skills/trades and equipped with the necessary starter packs to help them establish their own enterprise for self-employment and to become employers of labour.
The STEPreneurs were trained in computer hardware repair, catering and confectionery, electrical installations and repairs, barbing, bead-making, decoration and event management, hair dressing/make-over, fashion design/tailoring, tiling, painting, block-moulding, plaster of paris (POP) and vulcanising.
Some of the beneficiaries of the programmes expressed excitement during the graduation held in Asaba and thanked the state government for supporting them to grow.
Joy Oyekwere, a native of Ute in Agbor, who was trained in catering and confectionery, said her products were now going places.
Oyekwere told our correspondent that she was doing a nanny’s job when the opportunity came her way, adding that her newfound business was doing well.
“I produce perfume. I do zobo drink and soya milk. And my products are going places. I am so happy,” she said, adding that she was inspired. “At a time, I was following one lady, the name I can’t remember now, and I also have this young and talented lady called Daisy.
“She was one of the people who encouraged me to be strong in whatever I was doing. I learnt a lot from her in terms of baking and l always run to her if I have issues.”
For Faith Odafe, from Patani, she was trained for four months in hairdressing and braiding.
The accounting graduate of two years said the training helped to sharpen her skills in the trade as she was already into hairstyling business while in the university: “While in school, I used to make people’s hair. After graduation, I learnt more before this empowerment came my way. I have a shop now in Asaba.
“The programme has helped me so much. It puts food on my table, and I have trained a number of people.
“I appreciate the governor for this gesture. In five years’ time, I will be a big hair not only in Nigeria but across the world. I don’t need any other job now, this one is well paying.”
On his part, Tite Samuel, a graduate of Office Technology and Management, diversified into electrical installation under the training, which he claimed lasted eight months.
“I diversified into electrical because of my passion. I love electrical. I used to fix minor faults like changing of lamp-holder. So, when the form came out, I applied and, luckily, I was one of the people selected,” he said.
At the graduation, Gov. Okowa congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to be steadfast in building their own businesses.
The governor, who said the success story of his administration was anchored on the various entrepreneurship schemes, insisted that those criticising the youth empowerment programmes did not mean well for the state.
“We don’t want to praise ourselves as a government but when I hear some people saying that the Dr. Okowa’s administration is doing nothing, I begin to wonder whether they are in Delta State or whether they are talking about other states.
“We recognise that we are doing a lot in infrastructure in such a manner that has earned us recognition, but I know that our greatest strong point is in ensuring that we give our youths the necessary skills to keep them strong and keep hope alive.
“Our youth training programmes both the STEPreneurship, YAGEPreneurship and other programmes are our strongest point and we have no apologies about it.
“Delta is one of the most peaceful states and it is because the youths are working in collaboration with the government.
“This is so because our youths are responsible, they are passionate about their future and about this state, and the youths of Delta want us to have a great state.
“We will ignore what they say but it’s important for us as youths that as we go into the future to realise that in order to keep the future of the current youths and those who are growing up, we must learn to exercise our political rights in such a manner that we do not waste our votes for those who do not mean well.
“I say so because anybody criticizing what we are doing in collaboration with our youths does not obviously mean well for the state and such a person is an enemy to the youths.
“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.
“It is well with our state and I use this opportunity to thank our traditional rulers for their support and prayers for the success of this administration.
He announced donation of N500,000.00 each for 75 outstanding beneficiaries since 2015 when the programme started, another N10 million and N7.5 million, respectively, for the programme’s choir and dance groups for their performance during the 2020/2021 graduation ceremony.
Expressing confidence that the programme would be sustained beyond his administration in 2023 because of the institutionalisation of the state Job and Wealth Bureau, the governor noted that other arms have be added to expand it in order to reach out to greater percentage of Deltans.
“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 programme including Dr. Kingsley Emu, Professor Eric Eboh, Dr Kingsley Obiora who is the Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Festus Agas among others.
Director-General of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, Prof. Eric Eboh said the ceremony marked the formal closure of the 2020/2021 cycle of STEP and YAGEP, the 6th in the job creation programme series since 2015.
According to him, all 1,000 beneficiaries were 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,” Eboh said.
He said the bureau 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,” he stated.
