1,000 youths get skills as Okowa warns against mischief makers

Delta State Governor, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday, called on Deltans to be wary of deliberate mischief against the state government by its opponent, saying that citizens knew that no volume of devious criticism could taint the developmental efforts of his administration. Okowa gave the charge at the graduation of 1,000 Skills Training and Entrepreneurship […]

Delta State Governor, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday, called on Deltans to be wary of deliberate mischief against the state government by its opponent, saying that citizens knew that no volume of devious criticism could taint the developmental efforts of his administration.

Okowa gave the charge at the graduation of 1,000 Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurship Programme (YAGEP) beneficiaries of the 2020/2021 programme cycle held at Events Centre, Asaba.

He said only enemies of the youths would criticise what his administration was doing for the youths of the state.

The governor warned that henceforth, the state government would no longer tolerate people registering in other programmes after they had been trained and empowered in another programme.

He stressed that such acts were inimical to the progress of the state as perpetrators were blocking the chances of other Deltans from benefiting from the various job creation schemes.

“Recently, I hear some people criticise what we are doing for the youths of our state, they speak in manners that are becoming nauseating.

“Our youth training programmes both the STEPreneurship, YAGEPreneurship and other programmes is our strongest point and we have no apologies about it.

“We know that today Delta is one of the most peaceful states and it is because the youths are working in collaboration with the government.

“This is so because our youths are responsible, they are passionate about their future and about this state, and the youths of Delta wants us to have a great state.

“We will ignore what they say but its important for us as youths that as we go into the future to realise that in order to keep the future of the current youths and those who are growing up, we must learn to exercise our political rights in such a manner that we do not waste our votes for those who do not mean well,” he stated.

The Governor lauded the Job and Wealth Creation Bureau for its diligent and professional handling of the programmes to become a major success story of his administration.

He assured that with the enabling law establishing the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, the state’s job creation programmes would be sustained beyond his administration.

He commended the youths of the state for their dexterity and focus, assuring that in years to come the benefits of the programme would be manifest nationwide.

The Governor who was flanked by his Deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro paid glowing tribute to the people who gave life to the program including Dr Kingsley Emu, Professor Eric Eboh, Dr Kingsley Obiora Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and Hon. Festus Agas among others.

He announced a cash reward of N500,000 each for 75 outstanding STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs adopted into the Job Creation Hall of Fame.

Welcoming guests earlier, Director-General of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, Professor Eric Eboh, said the ceremony marks the formal closure of the 2020/2021 cycle of STEP and YAGEP, the 6th in the job creation programme series since 2015.

He said the cycle covered 1,000 beneficiaries comprising 654 STEPreneurs and 346 YAGEPreneurs, including 25 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), one in each of the 25 Local Government Areas.

According to him, all 1,000 beneficiaries have been duly trained in occupational, entrepreneurial and business skills and have been given starter packs and shop rent support.

In their valedictory speech, Gure Oghenetejiri, a STEPreneur in POP, Screeding and Painting from Ughelli North and Onakpoya Evuarhere, a Poultry YAGEPreneur from Ethiope East commended Governor Okowa and the state government for the life opportunity given to them to acquire skills and become business owners.