BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Benin
The Federal Government has empowered no fewer than 250 women and youths in Owan-West Local Government Area of Edo State with entrepreneurial skills and start-up capital to boost self-reliance and local enterprise development.
The three-day intensive training, held at the Uhonmora Civic Centre, was organised by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) in collaboration with GGF Nigeria Limited, as part of government efforts to promote inclusive economic growth and reduce unemployment among rural dwellers.
Participants, drawn from various communities across the local government area, were trained on the production of disinfectants, bleaching agents, and odour control items. The hands-on sessions allowed the trainees to engage in practical demonstrations, producing the items themselves under the guidance of facilitators.
Speaking during the closing ceremony, the programme’s lead consultant, Magbagbeola Abass Adebayo, said the training was designed to build the participants’ capacity for self-employment and small-scale production. He noted that the start-up capital given to each participant was aimed at helping them commence business operations immediately.
“This initiative is not just about skill acquisition but also about sustainability. We want you to make judicious use of the funds and transform this opportunity into a livelihood that benefits you, your family, and your community,” he advised.
Also speaking, Aisha Oladipo, another facilitator, urged the beneficiaries to put their new skills to good use, stressing that the programme was a golden opportunity to break the cycle of dependency and poverty among rural youths and women.
In her remarks, the Vice President of Uhonmora-Ora Progressives Union Worldwide, Mrs. Evangelina Agbai, commended the Federal Government and the organisers for bringing the empowerment initiative to the grassroots. She described the programme as timely, especially in helping families cope with the current economic realities.
“We are happy that this programme came to our community. I urge all beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of this project and make effective use of both the training and the capital support,” she added.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to journalists expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the gesture, promising to apply the knowledge gained to improve their income and contribute to community development.
The event climaxed with the presentation of certificates to participants and distribution of products made during the training exercise, marking the successful completion of the empowerment workshop.
