Politics
Okowa And The Prospects Of A New Job Creation Scheme In Abuja
It was another round of applause for Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa last weekend as another set of 280 ladies graduated from the state’s Women Empowerment Skill Acquisition Programme (WESAP) further demonstrating the governor’s prowess in job creation.
Given that strategic wealth creation is the first point in Governor Okowa’s phenomenal SMART agenda, the governor’s smile through the course of the graduation ceremony was well understood.
As the governor said at the graduation ceremony, the various wealth creation schemes of the administration had as at June 1, 2022 led to the creation of 128,813 direct and indirect jobs in the state.
Besides the strategic wealth creation schemes, an additional one million direct and indirect jobs have also been created through the various infrastructural and urban renewal projects.
It was as such no surprise that Delta State was ranked the Best State in Human Capital Development in the 2017 states per review by the National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria.
Also significantly, in 2020, Delta was adjudged Second Least Poor State by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.
For a national economy that has been reported to record an unemployment rate of 33% in the year 2022, the direct impact of the Okowa administration in lifting the citizenry from the squalor of unemployment and underemployment is receiving applause from far and near.
Among those who have noticed the impact of the administration in that wise is the
Among the 280 ladies who graduated from the WESAP programme on Friday were significantly, 12 ladies living with one disability or the other who were trained in skill acquisition at the , at the expense of the state government at the Farm Craft Centre for the blind in Isheri, Lagos.
For an administration that has not left the disabled behind, it could well be understood the impact of the administration across board.
It was in that light that Governor Okowa said that the state is working toward becoming Nigeria’s centre for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME).
Okowa said that with the creation of more than 128,813 direct, indirect jobs through the various job and wealth creation programmes of his administration, Delta would become a hub for MSMEs in the next few years.
The governor said that with sustained growth of MSMEs, the issue of unemployment would become a thing of the past because people would become employers of labour rather than job-seekers.
He commended the State Ministry of Women Affairs and all the programme management for their dedication and consistency.
According to him, WESAP is our platform to enhance social inclusion by equipping the womenfolk with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to be productively engaged.
“I am pleased that the programme has remained steadfast to its mandate since it was inaugurated in November 2020.”
He commended the Heritage Bank for their current partnership, which had infused better financial management, transparency, and accountability into the programme.
“Today, we are empowering 280 women, including 12 persons living with disabilities who, at the expense of the state government, underwent a six-months training in arts and craft at the Farm Craft Centre for the blind in Isheri, Lagos.
According to him, today’s graduates bring the total number of WESAP beneficiaries to 835.
”They have been resourced with the vocational skills to run various enterprises in fashion design, hairdressing, confectionaries, decoration, and makeover/head gear.
“As of June 1, 2022, 128,813 direct and indirect jobs have been created through the various job creation, youth empowerment, and social investments delivery platforms of the administration.
“While this has impacted positively on the economy of multiplied thousands of households, I guarantee you that the maximum impact of these programmes will be felt in no distant future when Delta becomes the MSMEs hub of Nigeria.
“To the ladies who begin their entrepreneurship journey today, it is my hope that you will follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before you and make good success of this opportunity of a lifetime.
“You are among the privileged few who were enlisted in the programme from a long list of others who were equally qualified, but due to limited resources, we could only admit a limited number for now.”
Okowa therefore urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the good gesture of the government by committing themselves to disciplined work ethic, prudent management, and excellent customer service.
“It is now time to put to use, the knowledge you acquired in terms of personal effectiveness, sales and marketing, appropriate pricing, excellent customer service, and business management.
“Thankfully, Heritage Bank is there to facilitate the opening of your business accounts, which will enable you to separate your personal finances from the company funds and place yourself on a monthly salary.
“This will bring discipline into the running of the business, help to measure and monitor growth, as well as enforce accountability,” he stated.
Earlier in her welcome address, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Flora Alanta said the WESAP programme was established three years ago to ameliorate the economic hardship the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed on families.
Alanta said that an empowered woman remained the bedrock for the economic emancipation of families adding that the future of families depended on the economic empowerment of women.
She noted that women needed to have skills that would earn them a living, adding that 280 women including 12 persons with disabilities were among the beneficiaries.
In his goodwill message, the Heritage Bank Group Head of Edo/Delta region, Mr Charles Ojakovo lauded Okowa for his unparalleled passion for the growth of SMEs as a way to rescuing Nigerians form hunger and poverty.
He pledged the partnership of the bank to the job and wealth creation programmes of the state government.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Peace Initiative, a group that has identified with the political aspirations of the governor has urged the governor to take his job creation formula to Abuja.
The group reacted in a statement issued on Tuesday, by its national coordinator, Emma Ekpe.
NPDI while commending Governor Okowa on his job creation schemes urged him to as a matter of urgency to carry the job creation formula to Abuja for the benefit of the nation as vice-president.
“We are proud of the latest graduation of 280 trainees under the Empowerment Skill Acquisition Programme (WESAP).
“It is remarkable that such a scheme is coming out from Delta State and we can only pray that Governor Okowa should export the same scheme to Abuja to be replicated at the national level.
Continuing, the group while noting that Okowa’s task in job creation has been well cut out for him said:
“Governor Okowa as vice-president will be the chairman of the National Economic Council, a platform for him to project the same successful scheme he has practiced in Delta State at the national level.
“It is for this reason that we urge our people in the Niger Delta region and Nigerians at large to support the Atiku-Okowa project as it is the panacea to the unemployment and underemployment malaise that the nation is presently suffering,”
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