Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Vice-Presidential candidate of the PDP, says the state is working toward becoming Nigeria’s centre for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME).
The governor stated this on Friday in Asaba at the graduation ceremony of the third cycle of the Women Empowerment Skill Acquisition Programme (WESAP).
Okowa said that with the creation of more than 128,813 direct, indirect jobs through the various job and wealth creation programmes of his administration, Delta would become a hub for MSMEs in the next few years.
The governor said that with sustained growth of MSMEs, the issue of unemployment would become a thing of the past because people would become employers of labour rather than job-seekers.
He commended the State Ministry of Women Affairs and all the programme management for their dedication and consistency.
According to him, WESAP is our platform to enhance social inclusion by equipping the womenfolk with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to be productively engaged.
According to him, today’s graduates bring the total number of WESAP beneficiaries to 835.
Okowa therefore urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the good gesture of the government by committing themselves to disciplined work ethic, prudent management, and excellent customer service.
Earlier in her welcome address, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Flora Alanta said the WESAP programme was established three years ago to ameliorate the economic hardship the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed on families.
Alanta said that an empowered woman remained the bedrock for the economic emancipation of families adding that the future of families depended on the economic empowerment of women.
She noted that women needed to have skills that would earn them a living, adding that 280 women including 12 persons with disabilities were among the beneficiaries.
In his goodwill message, the Heritage Bank Group Head of Edo/Delta region, Mr Charles Ojakovo lauded Okowa for his unparalleled passion for the growth of SMEs as a way to rescuing Nigerians form hunger and poverty.
He pledged the partnership of the bank to the job and wealth creation programmes of the state government.(NAN)
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