The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has trained and supported 90 entrepreneurs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with working equipment.
The Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr Olawale Fasanya said this on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of a four-day National Skill Development Initiative (NBSDI) held in Abuja.
Represented by Mrs Mary Kolawole, FCT SMEDAN Manager, Fasanya said that NBSDI was a nationwide programme designed to provide vocational and entrepreneurship skills as well as equipment to promote youth engagement in productive ventures.
While emphasising that the programme was geared towards poverty reduction, Fasanya urged the beneficiaries to put the materials to good use.
‘Having acquired improved knowledge in business practice and service delivery, access to finance, equipment and other business resources, it is essential that you put them in proper use to promote your businesses, generate wealth and contribute to the national economy’,” Fasanya said.
He expressed delight that at the end of the entrepreneurship programme which started on Nov 29, the beneficiaries can fill the capacity gap of the youth.
“The programme is being implemented across the country where a total of 3, 330 entrepreneurs were impacted with entrepreneurship skills, vocational skills and empowerment materials at the rate of 90 entrepreneurs per state and the FCT.
“It was in a bid to support MSMEs in a practical way that SMEDAN developed NBSDI aimed at providing entrepreneurship and vocational skills and equipment to the artisans.
“The 90 entrepreneurs in the FCT are engaged in fashion, car wash and leather works,’’ he said.
Fasanya said that SMEDAN would visit the beneficiaries regularly to ensure that they use the equipment for what they were meant for and cautioned that the agency would not hesitate to retrieve any equipment that was being misused.
The recipients commended SMEDAN for the gesture and pledged to use the equipment and the knowledge acquired judiciously.
Miss Grace Simon, a recipient of leather works industrial machines, said that she gained more knowledge in leather works and the machine would improve her productivity.
“I am so happy because with this machine, the quality of my work will improve,’’ she said.
Henshi Zeichibu, Ambassador for persons with disabilities said that the programme rekindled her hope in growing her business.
Zeichibu said that supporting MSMEs to grow would help create jobs, increase Gross Domestic Product as well as eradicate poverty in the country.
Mr Joseph Afolabi, who received a car washing machine said that the equipment would help him make a living for himself.
“Not only how to wash cars well, I was also taught how to treat my customers in a good and polite manner and a combination of all these would grow my business and position me to employ others,’’ Afolabi said. (NAN)
