The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has completed its entrepreneurship training of 5,365 Nigerians with the empowerment of 145 trainees in Rivers State.
Beneficiaries who received their starter packs at the National Business Skills Development Initiative’s closing ceremony in Port Harcourt yesterday were trained in aluminum fabrication, fashion design, and catering.
Dikko Radda, Director General of SMEDAN, noted in his keynote address at the ceremony that the initiative aimed to train and impact 5,365 entrepreneurs across all 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with entrepreneurship training and empowerment with equipment.
He stated that the program’s main goal was to provide job opportunities for young Nigerians who want to start their own businesses.
“We provided them with vocational and entrepreneurship training to increase their capacity, as well as equipment based on the various training they have received to enable them to start their businesses.”
“We need to develop the skills of our young men and women; this is what will help the Nigerian economy.”The goal is for young men and women in society to have more job opportunities rather than waiting for white-collar jobs in the country; this will enable us to have a conducive atmosphere in the country in terms of security, peace, and tranquility; it will also help our economy grow,” he said.
“We did it last year, we will continue to do it in this country with the support we are receiving from Mr. President in the provision of budget in this programme, and this will increase the livelihood of our citizens,” Radda said, thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for providing budget to SMEDAN to impact the lives of young Nigerians.
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He advised the beneficiaries not to sell their equipment for the money, but to improve their business management practices and train others in order to help the country’s economy grow.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to THISDAY at the event praised SMEDAN and the federal government for their generosity.
Joy Eze, a 27-year old woman who was trained in aluminum fabrication, thanked the federal government through SMEDAN for the training and equipping her with a cutting and drilling machine.”I am so overwhelmed with joy,” Miss Eze said.
I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to SMEDAN and the federal government for providing us with this opportunity.
We were well taken care of in terms of transportation, food, and hospitality; everything was excellent. “I received my equipment after completing aluminum fabrication training, and I am overjoyed.”
I appreciate what the federal government is doing and would like to see them do more.
I’d like to be a part of whatever program is launched next.”
Mrs. Abaebite Adiege, another beneficiary who was trained in catering and given an oven and mixer, thanked SMEDAN for its generosity to the Rivers beneficiaries.
