By Festus Ahon

ASABA-DELTA State Government has organized a one-day workshop on Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training, EBMT for 514 persons in Asaba, the State capital.

The beneficiaries who were trained under the State Government’s Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, STEP, enrolled into the 2022 cycle. They were told to work hard with a view to becoming seasoned wealth and job creators.

The trainees have successfully completed hands-on training and proficiency test in six vocational skills, which include; Audio-Visual Services; Electrical Installation and Solar Works; Catering and Confectionery; PoP, Screed-Making and Painting; Hairdressing and Braiding, and Tiling and Interlocking.

The Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer and the Head of the Station, Prof Eric Eboh, gave an overview of the workshop, emphasizing that integrity was the underlying factor of the job creation programme.

According to him, the training would inculcate in the beneficiaries personal leadership skills and urge them to apply the knowledge acquired throughout the training into the day-to-day operation of their businesses after their graduation and establishment with starter packs.

Eboh said: “Starter pack is important, but it is not the most important thing in the programme. The most important is knowledge. Knowledge will help you and take you from this level to a higher level. You may lose your starter pack, you can never lose the knowledge acquired because it is within you.”

He listed the training processes the beneficiaries have undergone to include; selection, Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training, OPET, hands-on training in different vocational centres, Personal Effectiveness and Leadership Development, PELD, and the proficiency test.

He tasked them to make utmost use of the lessons gained and to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the state government to become star Ambassadors of the STEP programme.

He pointed out that 9,154 Deltans have benefitted through the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, with YAGEP engaging 1,776 youths.

He also said 5,051 youths benefitted from STEP, adding that the Graduate Employment Enhancement Programme, GEEP engaged 170 youths, while the Production and Processing Support Programme, PPSP supported 2,157 already existing farmers.

On his part, the Executive Assistant to the Governor and Head of the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, DYMM, Mr. Edward Mekwunye, represented by Mr. Jude Chikezie, explained that DYMM has been part of the job creation programme since its inception.

He said: “Governor Okowa inculcated DYMM right into the job creation programme, starting with STEP and YAGEP which later metamorphosed into other programmes. We have often visited you right at your training centres to ensure that you get the maximum benefit from your trainers. We look forward to your graduation and establishment with starter packs after which our mentorship programme begins.”

The resource person, Pastor Afolabi Adun, took the participants on “Planning and Starting Your Business Enterprise: Things to Do,” “Preparing and Writing a Business Plan” and “Participants’ Practical Exercise in Preparing a Business Plan”.