SMEDAN empowers 90 youths with business skills, start-up kits in Bayelsa

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)  on  Thursday concluded a five day entrepreneurship training for 90  youths  drawn from  Bayelsa.

The training  is  under the National Business Skills Development Initiative (NBSI) by SMEDAN which comprises entrepreneurship and vocational components.

Speaking to the beneficiaries, Mr Olawale Fasanya, Director-General of SMEDAN noted that the programme being implemented across  the 36 states and  FCT targets to impact 3,330 entrepreneurs nation wide.

Fasanya, who was represented by Mr Uboboso Abilo, State Manager of SMEDAN in Bayelsa noted that NBSI aims to create a crop skilled young entrepreneurs who hopefully become employers of labour.,

“The Nano, Micro, and Small and Medium Enterprises (NMSNEs) sub sector is a critical subsector in the Nigerian economy. They collectively account for a majority of enterprises in Nigeria and alao account for majority of jobs created in the economy.

“The most recent  National  MSMEs survey  of 2020   revealed that there  are   39.6 million MSMEs employing 62.5 million persons , 80.2 per cent of the labour force and contributing 46.31 per cent and 6.21 per cent to national GDP and export respective;y.

“It is in a bid to support the MSMEs in a moost  practical way  that  the agency  developed the  NBSI. It is designed entrepreneurship  skills , vocational skills  and provision  of empowerment materials to fill the capacity gap of youths,” Fasanya said.

Also, Mr Uche Lawrence, an Enterprise Officer at SMEDAN, who served as a resource person and Cordinator for Bayelsa NBSDI applauded the enthusiasm and interest of the participants.

He listed the skills area covered in the programme to include, food processing, fashion and laundry.

Miss Blessing Unine,, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries commended the federal government for the gesture  and urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by being dedicated.

The 90 beneficiaries received their start up equipment from officials of SMEDAN in Bayelsa. 

Comments

comments