Bayelsa partners  FG, World bank, BOI on youth empowerment, SMEs devt.

Bayelsa partners  FG, World bank, BOI on youth empowerment, SMEs devt.

From Amos Odeh, Yenogoa

The Bayelsa state government in partnership with the World bank,Federal Government and the Bank of Industry,BOI has held a one day training programme for youths between age brackets 18- 35 for recruitment as agents for the collation of data for SMEs in the state.

The programme,tagged: ‘Covid-19 action recovery and economic stimulus(CARES),according to the government was aimed at cushioning the effect of the novel covid-19 pandemic on small and medium scale enterprises in the state.

Speaking to Daily Times,the coordinator of the programme and Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa state Governor on Treasury,Accounts and Revenue,Mr Timipre Seipulo hinted that the intent of the Governor Douye Diri’s led prosperity government was to empower citizens of the state through deliberate creation of conducive environment for Bayelsans to thrive in their chosen professions and trades.

He noted that the state after the programme would have the needed data on SMEs across its eight Local governments areas for future planing and for the subsequent disbursement of the World bank provided and BOI facilitated grant for SMEs.

Seipulo restated the commitment of the government to creat jobs for those willing to engage in genuine sources of livelihood through the provision of revolving loans,regretting that the failure of successive empowerment schemes was the bane of the absence of economic inclusiveness in the state.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Trade,Industry and Investment,Ms. patience Abah reiterated the importance of SMEs in the Economy,stressing that with the Covid-19 pandemic many businesses have suffered setbacks.

She noted that the state government was set to prosper all Bayelsans  through the collation of data to enable for efficient planning for Economic growth.

Training the enrollee SMEs agents,the duo of the Bank of Industry’s resource persons, Ms.Annabel Ntuabunauzor and Mr Goodness Adewale cautioned against improper utilization of the opportunities provided by the scheme.

The duo described the ongoing efforts at empowering  Bayelsans by the state government as measures worth emulating, maintaining that the BOI and the world bank have empowered no fewer than two million SMEs in Nigeria in the recent years.

The Resource persons stated that data from relevant government financial authorities show that about 65% of Nigerians lack access to financial inclusion.

The financial institution therefore,expressed the desire to continue partnering with governments and other sister institutions within and outside Nigeria in alleviating poverty,just as they described the role of an agent as an intermediary between a given principal actor and other body.

Meanwhile in their separate goodwill message and remarks,the duo of the state commission for Women,Children, Empowerment anf Social Development,Mrs Faith Opene and the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Employment generation, Mr Austin Oworo respectively have again scored the Bayelsa government high on its empowerment disposition.

The appointees noted that in the not too distance time Bayelsans would be merrier that they have a government with the resolve to better the lots of its citizens,advising that youths do not take for granted any empowerment programme the prosperity administration has put in place.

Similarly, participants to the programme have expressed appreciation to the government,speaking to The Tide source,one of them, Mr Oborisi Nadari said the creation of different empowerment schemes by the state was a welcomed development, promising to make good use of the privilege accorded him through the programme.