…..As CJWCO, Delta State Job And Wealth Creation Bureau, Prof Eric Eboh Says, DTSG Has Empowered 6,074 Youths From 2015 Till Date.
….Agency Honours 75 Outstanding Entrepreneurs in Asaba
By Victor Bieni, Asaba
As part of efforts to fulfill the mandate of Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau on “Nurturing Entrepreneurs And Creating Wealth for stronger Delta” through various Youth empowerment in Skills, vocational and Agricultural development, the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer and Head of Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, Prof Eric Eboh has said Delta State Government has in the 6th batches of 2020/2021 cycle trained, empowered 1,000 beneficiaries in occupational, entrepreneurs and business skills.
Prof Eboh made this remark while delivering his speech during the graduation ceremony organized for 1, 000 STEP and YAGEP beneficiaries of the 2020/2021 Programme cycle today Thursday, 3rd February, 2022, as he stated that Job Creation has covered 6,074 beneficiaries from 2015 to date.
The job creation boss while thanking the Governor for the initiative and support to the graduands towards achieving the vision of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, noted that the expanding portfolio of the Youths’ skills, entrepreneurship, agricultural development programmes are part of the State Government’s Job creation and youth empowerment Programmes, which included RYSA, GEST, WESAP and ICT-YEP.
He commended the graduands for their tenacity and patience all through the period of their training, while he revealed that the 1000 Youth beneficiaries comprised of 654 STEPreneurs, 346 YAGEPreneurs and 25 PwDs, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), which he said were selected from the 25 LGAs of the state.
In his words: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome Your Excellency, Governor of Delta State, top government functionaries and distinguished guests to this Graduation Ceremony. Today’s Graduation Ceremony marks the formal closure of the 2020/2021 cycle of STEP and YAGEP, the 6th in the job creation programme series since 2015. 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. All 1,000 beneficiaries here today have been duly trained in occupational, entrepreneurial and business skills. Also, they have been given starter packs and shop rent support (in the case of STEPreneurs) or support packages and cash support for critical farm operations (in the case of YAGEPreneurs). Beneficiaries were given starter packs and support packages in batches upon successful completion of all the phases of training and fulfilling the eligibility requirements”.
“Altogether, the job creation programmes – STEP and YAGEP – have covered 6,074 beneficiaries from 2015 to date. This number is part of the expanding portfolio of the state government’s job creation and youth empowerment programmes including RYSA, GEST, WESAP and ICT-YEP. In addition to the 1,000 graduands gathered here today, we have assembled a small sample of outstanding previous STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs already profiled in the STEP & YAGEP Hall of Fame. STEP and YAGEP Hall of Fame’ is an informative reference and promotional tool designed to recognize and promote outstanding beneficiaries in an ongoing series.
“The sample of outstanding beneficiaries here today include three categories.
Outstanding STEPreneurs who have recorded remarkable growth, diversification and innovation of their enterprises, and some of them have become trainers under STEP, RYSA and GEST.
Outstanding YAGEPreneurs who have shown distinctive progress of their farm enterprises in terms of production size, market space and product innovation”. Persons with Disabilities [PwDs] STEPreneurs & YAGEPreneurs who have displayed remarkable determination and abilities in growing their enterprises and employing other persons.
We envisage that bringing this array of role-model STEP & YAGEP alumni to this graduation ceremony will inspire our fresh graduands to business success”.
The World Distinguished Professor, Speaking on the Agency’s exploits in terms of best practices on data base management of the Delta Entrepreneurs, STEPreneurs, YAGEPreneurs, and global online presence, visibility, accessibility of the Entrepreneurs, Delta State Government Achievements in the sector, he said: “His Excellency, permit me, at this juncture, to bring to your attention, some institutional development tools developed and already being applied by Delta Job and Wealth Creation Bureau to ensure organizational and programme sustainability into the future”.
He listed some institutional development tools developed and being applied by Delta Job and Wealth Creation Bureau to ensure organizational and programme sustainability tools to include job creation bureau’s online programme management information system (MIS) which has two platforms, job creation website [deltastatejobcreation.ng] the Digital Programme Portal, an open-access online platform [deltastatejobcreation.net]
He said the second sustainability tool is the Job Creation Magazine series; the third tool, the satellite-based digital survey map of all verified YAGEP farm enterprises throughout the state and the number four tool is the five year Masterplan of Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau.