Delta state Government Flags-off 2019/2020 Cycle of YAGEP with an Orientation Workshop.

Trainees of the Delta State Government’s Youth Agricultural and Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) of the 2019/2020 Programme Cycle have been charged to take the training seriously in order to build themselves into entrepreneurs capable of sustaining their enterprises.

The Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, gave the charge during a one-day Orientation Workshop organised for the 2019/2020 YAGEP trainees to flag-off their enrolment into the programme.

At the event held in Asaba, Prof Eric Eboh, congratulated the trainees for their success at the various stages of screening exercise before their successful enrolment into the programme.

He said the orientation workshop was packaged to enlighten them about the process, rules and guidelines of the 2019/2020 Cycle of YAGEP and to prepare them for a successful take-off as well as to ensure that they meet the condition for a successful participation in the programme.

Delivering his lecture tagged, “Presentation of 2019/2020 YAGEP Process and Guidelines,” he pointed out that the state government’s philosophy of initiating the Job Creation Scheme was to create a lasting legacy of a new generation of youth entrepreneurs who are well motivated, inspired, skilled and adequately enabled to become self-employed and business owners.

He said over 4,200 youths have benefited from STEP/YAGEP in the past 4 years with an additional 850 youths for the 2019/2020 Cycle, emphasizing that the 2019/2020 Cycle has more of Brown YAGEP than the Green YAGEP.

While stating that all beneficiaries of Brown YAGEP must have an active and verified agricultural enterprise which is put in suitable condition and is ready to take support, he explained that Green YAGEP beneficiaries must have verified suitable land space with unhindered access and secured tenure and verified source of regular water supply.

He pointed out that provision of YAGEP support packs will be done in stages as progression from one stage to the next stage is prerequisite to the release of support items in subsequent stage.

The various commodity enterprises for Brown YAGEP include Fish Production, Piggery, Poultry, and Crop Production such as Plantain, Cassava, Maize, Rice and Vegetable, while those for Green YAGEP are Poultry and Fish Production.

On his part, the Hon. Commissioner for Youth Development, Comrade Michael Egwunyenga tasked to develop the right mind-set of seeing the opportunity as a privilege to succeed in their chosen enterprise.

He pointed out that the level of success they achieve in their enterprise would depend on them and the attitude with which they handle it.

On his part, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring (DYMM), Mr Eddy Mekwuye, in his lecture, “The Role and Activities of Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring in Relation to YAGEP Trainees,” said the mandate of DYMM was to sustain the success recorded in the programme over the years.

He urged them to do the right thing at all times to ensure that the programme yields the desired results.

Responding separately, Monday Okpoho (Isoko North) in Poultry and Nnenna Okpaleke (Oshimili North) in Fish Production expressed their gratitude to the state government for the opportunity granted them to be part of the YAGEP programme, pledging to use the knowledge and support package to grow their businesses into enviable heights. 

The highpoint of the event was the training tagged, “Farm records and Book-Keeping” delivered by the Resource Person, Mr Francis Aniye.

Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh

Communication Officer

The Delta State Government has commenced Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training for STEP beneficiaries enrolled in the 2019/2020 cycle of its job creation programme.

The orientation programme was designed to take place at 3 locations in Warri, Ughelli and Asaba from 8th to 9th January, 2020 to bring the training closer to the beneficiaries in their senatorial districts.

Flagging-off the training at the Government House Annex, Warri, the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, charged the trainees to adopt self-discipline in order to succeed as entrepreneurs.

In his lecture, “Presentation of Programme Philosophy, Rules and Guidelines & Code of Conduct for Trainees,” Prof Eboh explained that the Job Creation Scheme was initiated to create a lasting legacy of new generation of youth entrepreneurs who are well motivated, inspired, skilled and adequately enabled to become self-employed and business owners.

He commended the state Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for the political will and for providing leadership and resources to ensure that the quality of the programme is not compromised as evident in the lives of over 4,200 previously employed youths transformed through the programme in the first tenure of his administration.

He advised them to uphold quality, discipline, integrity and professionalism throughout the programme, explaining that outstanding beneficiaries have constantly testified that their success was hinged on the life skills and knowledge acquired during the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training,

He enjoined them to take their training seriously, disclosing that all graduates of STEP will go through a Post Training Proficiency Test (PTPT) to qualify them to undergo further training in Entrepreneurship and Business Management before establishment with starter packs.

He warned that any trainees who failed the PTPT would have to repeat the training at personal cost till he proved his competence in the skill or would have to forfeit the opportunity.

Also speaking, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring (DYMM), Mr Eddy Mekwuye, in his lecture, “The Role and Activities of Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring in Relation to STEP Trainees,” urged them to be dedicated and committed to the success of the programme, stressing that DYMM would be at their training centres across the state to monitor their progress regularly.

Responding on behalf of others, Fortune Sakpra (Udu LGA) in Hairdressing and Makeover, thanked the state government for creating the platform for youths to excel and express their knowledge on the skills they intend to learn.

The highpoints of the event were the lectures, “The Right Mindset and Attitude for Skills Learning Towards Self-Employment,” and “Lead Yourself (Awakening & Developing the Leader Within You)” presented by Pst. Afolabi Adun and Mrs Chinemerem Omonigho respectively.

  

Beneficiaries of the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) have appealed to the state government to uphold the programme to provide more Deltan youths with sustainable means of livelihood.  

The appeal was made in a telephone interview with some of the beneficiaries recently.

Speaking with Mr. Akpoboro Christian who hails from Agharho in Ughelli North Local Government Area (LGA), he said he was appreciative of the Okowa-led administration for the privilege given him to grow his Piggery farm.

He said since he received support in form of inputs/support from the state government as a Brown YAGEPreneur, he has expanded his business, obtained hectares of land and has achieved a lot as a result of the training.

Mr. Christian commended the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer for their efforts at ensuring the success of the programme, stressing that if the programme is continued and well managed, Delta youths will always have a means to put food on their table.

He advised all YAGEPreneurs to take their businesses seriously in order to live better lives.

On the part of Mrs. Morrison Helen Ewoma, a graduate of political science   who hails from Uzere in Isoko south, she said the state government has done well by making her an employer of labour.

Mrs Ewoma said she is a trained fish farmer and has diversified into Poultry farming. She added that the business is very lucrative and that she has acquire a land of her own from the proceeds from her enterprise.

She urged her co-beneficiaries to stay focused and not to sell off their starter packs.

Also speaking, Mr. Afejuku Moses who hails from Warri North LGA said he was trained in 2018 under Brown YAGEP in Fish Production. He said he was given one pond, 1000 fingerlings and cash as support package and since then his business has grown to a very large extent.   

He encouraged his co-beneficiaries to maintain hard work to take their businesses to enviable heights.

For Mrs. Oveisi Oreva, a graduate of Statistic who hails from Warri south Local Government Area, she is immensely grateful to the Governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for the assistance she got.

She said she was trained in 2016 under Green YAGEP in Fish Production. She emphasized that the empowerment programme, especially fish production has not only created jobs for previously unemployed youths, but have helped to improve the economic situation in the country.

Mrs. Oreva said the programme afforded her the opportunity to become her own boss and a trainer, adding that she has trained many youths in Fish Production.

Promise Ogana

Assistant Communication Officer

OCJCO        

Beneficiaries of the Delta State Government’s Skills and Entrepreneurship Training (STEP) for the 2019/2020 Cycle have continued to commend the state Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for continuing with the job creation programme in his second tenure.

Some of the trainees out of the 850 enrolled for the cycle made the commendation during the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Workshop held in Asaba for those located in Delta North Senatorial District.

In an interview, Kenneth Onwuegbuosa (Ughelli North LGA) in Decoration and Event Management, thanked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the initiative which according to him was meant to train, enrich and support them with starter pack for establishment.

He said the opportunity would improve his skills in Event Management which had been his means of livelihood before now, appealing to the state government to continue with the programme in order to engage more unemployed youths.

Also speaking, John Anwuzia (Aniocha South LGA) in Fashion Design and Textile Design described the programme as the best opportunity any government can create for its youths, adding that his wife benefitted from the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) in 2015 and that with these opportunities the sky would be their limit.

For Blessing Ajueyitsi (Uwvie LGA) in Hairdressing, Makeover and Braiding, she had been applying since 2015 until she succeeded in the present cycle, encouraging others not to give up as the government cannot provide for everyone at the same time.

Precious Ajibade (Isoko South LGA) in Fashion Design and Textile expressed her excitement on lessons learnt through the workshop especially in the area of self-discipline and being focused. “I expect that within 7 months of training, I will achieve my purpose of becoming my own boss, being self-employed and self-dependent,” she added.

In his remark, the Hon. Commissioner for Youth Development, Comrade Ifeanyi Egwueyenga, charged the trainees to be committed to the programme so as to return the state government’s investment on them.

He described the programme as a seed that would propel them to realise their goals, urging them to seize the live changing opportunity to become great entrepreneurs.

He advised them to have the right mindset by imbibing the right virtues of hard work, honesty and to see value in the programme in order to encourage the government to sustain the programme.

“Shun materialism. Imbibe the right values and mindset to determine how far you will grow. Government provides fund, the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer provides the process, but it is you that will determine the success,” he enthused.

While congratulating the beneficiaries on behalf of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, reiterated the state government’s commitment to curbing youth unemployment through the programme.

Prof Eboh said the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Workshop was designed to train them to harness their potentials in order to make them productively engaged, masters of their destinies and self-employed business owners.

Also speaking, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, Mr Eddy Mekwuye, advised them to stay clear of absenteeism, truancy among others, stressing that the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring would visit their training centres regularly to ensure that they abide by the rules and regulations guiding the programme.

He warned that any trainee who failed to abide by the Code of conduct would be expunged from the programme, urging them to report whatever challenges they encounter at their training centres early enough.

Accredited trainers selected to train beneficiaries of the Delta State Government’s Skills and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) for the 2019/2020 Cycle have been charged to adhere strictly to the Training guidelines and Code of Conduct.

 The Chief Job and Wealth Creation Office, Prof Eric Eboh, gave the charge at a one day Orientation Workshop for Trainers organised by the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer in Asaba.

The trainers numbering 141 were engaged out of 215 trainers accredited for the STEP 2019/2020 Cycle based on their capacity, availability/willingness, functionality and accessibility.

Delivering his lecture tagged, “Presentation of Programme Philosophy, Rules and Guidelines & Code of Conduct,” Prof Eboh pointed out that the state government’s philosophy of initiating the Job Creation Scheme was to create a lasting legacy of new generation of youth entrepreneurs who are well motivated, inspired, skilled and adequately enabled to become self-employed and business owners.

While stating that the Trainers’ Orientation Workshop was to prepare them for the 2019/2020 and fifth cycle of the programme, he said over 4,200 youths have benefited from STEP/YAGEP in the past 4 years with an additional 850 youths for the 2019/2020 Cycle.

He gave the three dimensions of job creation skills training as entrepreneurship skills, occupational skills and personal effectiveness, tasking the trainers to uphold the Job Creation Brand of professionalism, quality, integrity and discipline.

He emphasized that these brand qualities were the reasons the Delta State Job Creation Scheme earned His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, several national and international awards and an endorsement of national and international organisations and development agencies including the World Bank, European Union and United Nations.

He advised them to shun the act of colluding with trainees on absenteism, denial of trainees the use of equipment and training facilities, non-use of training modules among others in order to sustain the programme.

On his part, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring (DYMM), Mr Eddy Mekwuye, in his lecture, “The Role and Activities of Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring in Relation to STEP Trainees,” said the mandate of DYMM was to sustain the success recorded in the programme over the years.

He urged to do the right thing at all times to ensure that the programme yields the desired results.

Responding separately on behalf other trainers, Mrs Bridget Chineze and Mr Akpomreta Akpobome both in Fashion Design & Tailoring expressed their gratitude for being among the accredited trainers selected to partner with the state government in the 20019/2020 Cycle.

They pledged to put in their best to help the government achieve its vision of building a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh

Communication Officer

The Federal Government of Nigeria has been called upon to ease the difficulties encountered by entrepreneurs in accessing bank loans.

Beneficiaries of the state government’s Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and the Youth Agricultural and Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) made the call at the 25th Edition of MSMEs Clinic when the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, took a tour of their exhibition stands at the event.

The MSME Clinic hosted on the 6th and 7th of November,2019 by the Delta state Government in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President in Asaba attracted 13 federal government agencies who promote the growth of MSMEs in the country.

Speaking differently on behalf of other beneficiaries, Precious Nwaise, a Fashion Designer, Mercy Oma Esienakerien in Catering and Frank Enonuya in Leather Works and Shoe Making under the STEP programme spoke on their challenges as entrepreneurs.

Precious Nwaise said she had made significant progress in her business from the point of start-up to an enviable height, having trained over 100 persons and 10 persons for free. She said that was her way of giving back to society after 3 years of establishment by the state government.

She said her biggest challenge was how to access loans from the Bank of Industry to procure equipment that would design diverse patterns and prints on fabrics, appealing to the Vice President to use his good office to intervene to enable young entrepreneurs without collateral in terms of property to access loans easily.

Also speaking, Frank Enonuya said his shoes though produced manually are of very high quality and have found their way to Italy. He added that it was his vision to acquire an equipment that would enable him to produce more pairs of shoes per day. He lamented that he lacked the capital to do so and that he had made several attempts to access bank loans without success.

In the same vein, Mercy Oma Esienakerien, commended the federal and state governments’ collaboration in hosting the 25th MSME Clinic in Delta Sate, adding that it has afforded them the opportunity to meet with various relevant federal government agencies that could help her business grow.

Earlier, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, emphasized that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the fastest means of growing the economy of any nation.

They collaborated each other that the federal and state government would find a way to partner with each other to reduce some of the challenges encountered by entrepreneurs to ease the process of doing business in Nigeria.

Speaking at the Plenary Session on the 6th, the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer of the state, Prof. Eric Eboh, tasked the representatives of the various federal agencies to address the challenges of accessing loans from their institutions by offering satisfactory solutions to the genuine financial needs of the teeming entrepreneurs gathered to seek answers to the so many questions of how to access loans to finance their businesses without difficulty.

Onyekachukwu-Uteh, Gertrude

Communication Officer

A total number of 850 unemployed youths have been engaged by the Delta State Government to train as entrepreneurs in the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Training (STEP) and in the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) in the 2019/2020 Programme Cycle.

This was disclosed by the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, during the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Workshop for STEP trainees enrolled in the 5th cycle of the programme in Ughelli.

The trainees were enrolled in various STEP skills such as Catering and Confectionery; Decoration and Event Management; Fashion Design and Textile Design; Cosmetology (Skin and Facial Care); Hairdressing and Makeover, including Braiding; Information Technology Services (Open to youths with a minimum of OND/NCE; and Welding and Fabrication. Other skills are Electrical and Solar Works; Carpentry and Joinery; Tiling and Interlocking; Plumbing; Production of Cleaning Agents; POP, Screed-Making and Painting; and Audio-visual Services.

Prof Eboh pointed out that the STEP programme had been classified into two categories- the Green STEP and the Brown STEP.  While stating that the Green STEP beneficiaries are those who have no knowledge of their skills but require training before establishment, he said the Brown STEP trainees are those who have knowledge and reasonable competences in their chosen skills, but only needed refresher courses and support for establishment by government.

He said the duration of training for these skills would range between 3 months to 8 months for Green STEP while Brown STEP trainees would be trained between 2 months to 4 months.

He explained that the programme selection process was allocated at the grassroots level among the 270 wards in the state which clearly was a demonstration of His Excellency’s leadership style of all-inclusiveness and fulfilment of his promise of prosperity for all Deltans.

He emphasized that the programme was designed to train, reorient, equip and support youths to accumulate occupational skills of their choice and personal effectiveness skills together with entrepreneurial skills. These according to him would enable them to establish and run their own business enterprises and for gainful self-employment.

He enjoined them to abide by the Code of Conduct for Trainees, stressing that the programme is a full time programme as the state government would not condone indiscipline among them. He added that the state government would provide them with monthly stipend throughout the duration of their training.

In the same vein, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, Mr Eddy Mekwuye, represented by a Senior Special Assistant to the Government on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, Olorogun Frank Ozue, said the Governor’s vision was to take youths off the streets in order to create employment for them, curb youth restiveness and to build entrepreneurs that would drive the economy of the state.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to monitoring and mentoring of trainers during training and after establishment to ensure sustainability of the programme.

Respondig, Bernard Magrignor (Ughelli North LGA) and Margaret Ohwofasa (Okpe) both in Catering and Confectionery expressed their gratitude to the government for initiating the programme, adding that they are hopeful that through it they would achieve their dreams of becoming successful entrepreneurs. They pledged to abide by the Guidelines and Code of Conduct in order to sustain the programme.

 

Beneficiaries of the Graduate Employment Enhancement Programme (GEEP) have applauded the state government for linking them to the companies that employed them.

The commendation was made when the Communication Officer in the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer in Asaba, Mrs. Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh, visited GEEP beneficiaries employed by IMC Plantations LTD, Nsukwa and by Chinedu & Sons Investments Nig. LTD, Asaba.

Speaking on behalf of 5 GEEP employees in IMC Plantation, Mr. Ifeanyi Ernest Aniuchi, who hails from Aboh in Ndokwa East LGA and a graduate of Agricultural Economics, appreciated the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for initiating the SMART job creation programmes, urging him to continue the good work so that other unemployed youths would be gainfully engaged.

According to him, “GEEP is a life transforming programme and will continue to be of quality benefits to Delta State graduates. Prior to my employment I was completely naive about oil palm management. In 2016, it was announced that all Deltans who studied Agriculture should submit their details to the newly created job creation office. I took advantage of the opportunity and was later invited for an interview in an oil palm estate where I was trained in the oil palm plantation business for six months and employed to work as a Plantation Development Supervisor.”

He said he was employed under GEEP in IMC Plantations Limited as a field supervisor and shortly after which he was promoted to Assistant Out grower Manager as a result of his diligent contribution to the growth of the company.

He explained that out grower is a scheme that networks small owner farmers with large international and national companies, assisting them with their field operations and technical advice.

He emphasized that his interest in oil palm plantation arose after being trained by his company, adding that if given an opportunity to choose a career, he would choose oil palm management over again because he has seen fortune in it.

He said the employment has made him a consultant to other small oil palm farmers, adding that he has acquired two hectares of land for development of oil palm production.

Speaking earlier, the General Manager of IMC Plantations Limited, Mr. Christopher Kwasi Tsogbe, affirmed that GEEP has been beneficial to his organization, stating that they are willing and ready to accept more graduates if the government continued with the programme.

Mr. Tsogbe said the employees have imparted positively on the company as direct front line staff in charge of the company’s harvesting, maintenance and evaluation of the palm plantation.

In a similar development at Chinedu and Sons Investment Nig. LTD, Mr. Sylvester Nkechi, a graduate of accounting who hails from Ika South LGA, said his employment through GEEP has been a great one because it has opened his understanding into the accounting profession and has broaden his knowledge in practical aspects.

He noted that GEEP has added value to his life by making it easy for him to be gainfully employed. He said prior to his employment, it was difficult to take care of his family, adding that he could comfortably put food on their table.

“During the training, the Delta State government through the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer took care of my upkeep for the period of six months in Chinedu and Sons Investment Nig. Limited by paying us ₦30,000 monthly for six months as interns,” he pointed out.

 It is worthy to note that GEEP is aimed at linking unemployed graduate professionals with companies for internship to make them more marketable and attractive to employers and requires maximum cooperation and goodwill from private companies to succeed.

Promise Ogana

Assistant Communication Officer