Today, the Osun state government graduated no fewer than 1,200 citizens, after they’ve being trained on Skills Upgrade and Vocational Training.
The graduation ceremony took place at Osogbo, the state capital is the 1st Quarter 2023 Skills Upgrade and Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme.
Sahel standard has gathered that the Osun state government, led by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has pledged to provide Skills Acquisition and Vocational Training to 1,200 citizens of the State in each quarter of the year through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Empowerment.
Our correspondence gathered that these 1,200 participants were trained in different vocations of their choice such as Paints Production, Fashion Design, Beads Making, Leather Works, Soap and Chemical Production, Catering Services, Barbing, Phone Repairs, Gele/Makeup, and Hairdressing.
During his speech at the program, the state Governor emphasized that as a responsive government committed to Human Capital Development, it is imperative that this Skills Upgrade and Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme is encouraged and supported to provide opportunities for wealth creation and poverty reduction so that beneficiaries of the program could be gainfully employed and as well engage more people after the training.
Speaking on the objective of the program, Adeleke said it is to create 5,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs annually thereby strengthening commercial and industrial activities in the State.
“It is important to note that this laudable program which was midwifed by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Empowerment compliments the commitment and efforts of our government to provide jobs for youths in the State thereby minimizing youths’ restiveness and idleness in society.
“The government is working on several other programs through which people would be meaningfully and profitably engaged such as the Revival of Moribund Industries in the State; the Establishment of a Special Agro Processing Centre at Erin-Osun, the Establishment of the Osun Special Economic Zone at Egbedi through the facilitation by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He, however continued by appreciating the efforts of the officials of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Empowerment which led to the success of the program.
“I would also like to commend the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for providing Entrepreneurial training for the participants and the Bank of Industry (BoI) for facilitating Seed Loans of N50,000 to each of the participants for the enhancement of their operations.
Adeleke also used the medium to advise the graduands to ensure they didn’t take the training for granted.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the graduands to make good use of the knowledge and skills they have acquired through this program to make them self-reliant.
I want to implore the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Empowerment, in collaboration with our Development Finance Partners, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and the Bank of Industry (BoI) to continue to work hard to ensure that the lofty objectives of this program are achieved. The deliverables of this program will have a direct multiplier effect on the MSME sector of the State.
“Finally, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I heartily congratulate our graduands of today and I want to assure you that by the grace of God, the State Government will continue to support lofty programs which have a positive impact on the citizens and assist every good intentioned people of the State towards the achievement of their profit-oriented engagements.
