The National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Enugu State, has commenced a 5-day business and entrepreneurial skills training tagged, “start your own business,” SYOB, for young 50 graduates in the state wishing to venture into the business world.

The 5-day training which commenced on Tuesday August 17 to end on Saturday, August 21, 2021,  is being organised by the Small Scale Enterprises, SSE Department, of the NDE.

Speaking at the official flag off of the training programme on Wednesday, the Enugu State Coordinator of NDE, Dr. Mrs Chika Onah, said the training would enable the participants to acquire business skills that would enable them set up their own businesses.

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Onah therefore charged them to pay special attention to the lectures to enable them learn what they had not known  before.

She said that by thus acquiring the business skills, it will add value to their lives, their businesses and the society at large.

She said that paid employment or white collar jobs are hard to come by these days and that’s why emphasis is being shifted to skills acquisition that not only would provide employment but make them to become employers of labour.

“With the training, you must get something that you had not known before.  The programme must add value to your life and it will also help you to add value to your business and to the society at large.

” I also want to believe that there is nobody here that has no project in mind, that he or she would want to set up after the training.

“So, without wasting your time, I just simply want to say please the knowledge you will acquire here, don’t let it be a waste.  One thing is to acquire knowledge but another is to put it into practice.

” We don’t want you to.go back into the labour market.  We want you to set up your own business, to start adding value to your life, to your family and the society at large and in no distant future, you become employers of labour, ” she admonished.

The state coordinator said that there was a time the youth looked forward after graduation to be employed by the government ministries or industries but unfortunately, it is no longer feasible and said that it was because of the sad development that emphasis is now placed on gaining skills to be self reliant.

Onah pointed out that with the skills acquired from the training, even if the NDE is not able to provide the start up packs, they can source funds elsewhere to start their own businesses and become their own bosses.

Declaring the training open, the Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, represented by the Deputy Director, SSE, Mrs. Chika Ike stressed on the importance of training for skills saying that programme has helped many people to set up their own businesses.

Fikpo said that the training was not only for those that had business background before now but also for those that had no business ideas before or have any existing business.

He therefore urged the participants to take the training serious to acquire as much business skills as possible.

“Open up your mind to learn new things.  Ask questions to learn,” he charged.

He said that they should pay  particular attention to the lectures especially so that at the end of the training they will be able to prepare a feasibility report that would enable them access help from NDE or obtain loans from financial institutions to set up business of their own.

Representatives from NABTEB, Ministries of Education, Commerce and Industries, NIRSAL MFB and Nigerian Leaque of Women Voters graced the occasion.

Speaking to them, the NABTEB Director, Mrs. Metu, told the participants that they were fortunate to have the opportunity of Skills Aquisition Training like this.

She told them that there has been collaborative relationship between her Organization and NDE and it will continue.

Permanent Secretary Commerce and Industry Egnr. Dr. Godwin Anigbo,  ably represented by Mrs. Ngozi Ike, in his speech, gave kudos to NDE and confessed she has benefited from NDE programme sometime ago.

Mr. Nweze Chibuike who represented NIRSAL MFB, urged the participants to take the training serious and also explained to them the packages they have for people like them.

The Chairperson,  Nigerian Leaque of Women Voters, Enugu Chapter, Barr. Nnenna also had a good interactive session with the participants.you