It was a cheerful moment for about 55 youth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who were trained, awarded certificates and also given start-up kits to grow their businesses by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
A beneficiary who is also a Person with Disabilities (PWDs), Mr Adero Umar, lauded SMEDAN and the government for the opportunity provided for them to be part of the training, adding that he is so happy for this opportunity and “the materials in leather works, which I have received today.”
In his words “I will not roam the streets begging because I have acquired a skill and will be able not only to start my own shoe business but employ people like me to join me in my business.”
Also, Ashiru abdullahi, another PWD and already a fashion designer, who also couldnt hold his excitement, applauded the agency, saying the industrial sewing machine he got would enable him to expand his business.
Blueprint observed that 35 were trained in fashion designing received industrial machines and 10 participants, who trained in catering, received mixers, gas cylinders and an industrial oven each.
Also,participants who trained in leather works, were also equipped with the necessary machines for their business.
The Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, during the closing ceremony of the National Business Skills Development Initiative at the Agency’s Corporate headquarters on Friday in Abuja said that the empowerment was done under the National Business Skills Development Initiative (NBSDI) of the agency.
He assured that the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring an inclusive government that leaves no one behind, especially the youth, women and PWDs.
He said the training is expected to run concurrently in 13 states of the federation, with 55 participants in each state, totalling 715 to be empowered by SMEDAN.
Odii also said that the government acknowledged the importance of small businesses to national development and would do all in its power to support them.
He further urged them not to sell the kits given to them but utilise them and ensure to empower others around them to create more jobs for Nigerians.
Odii said: “55 people were trained.
If each participant employed just five persons each in the next six months, 275 more jobs would be created only from this training.
He also called for more collaborations both locally and internationally to enable the agency to reach out to more states and more Nigerians.
Also, the Minister of State for Youth, Mr Ayodele Olawande, who presented the items and certificates to the participants, urged them to ensure that they became employers of labour.
He explained the importance of every Nigerian youth acquiring at least two skills, rather than waiting or depending on white-collar jobs.
According to him, if a productive youth has two or more skills, we would have advanced more than where we are today.
“Also, it will be a crime for any one local government in this country not to have a product to sell to people. Let each state start producing something.
“If 18 Local Governments in Ondo State, for instance, are producing something and are exchanging that with other Local Governments, before you know it, they will be exchanging with different states,” he said.