After one month of intense entrepreneurial and vocational training by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), the Federal government has given out starter pack equipment to beneficiaries of the programme.
The starter packs include cooking and kitchen utensils for catering and baking business, Vulcanizing equipment for tyre management, sewing machines for sewing and fashion designer, Carpentry equipment for furniture production amongst others.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme where 18 thousand participants were trained across the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro said the government discovered most of the equipment in several government warehouses, hence decided to refurbish and deploy them to Nigerians who will use them to create jobs.
According to him, Nigerian resources are in its people not the soil alone, adding the present administration chose to move beyond short term relief and invest in their productive capacity so that citizens build a dignified life on their own.
He identified that there were challenges across the States where the training held such as logistics delay which caused some beneficiaries to swap trade.
He said the gaps were identified and would be corrected during subsequent training programmes, adding that the sum of N60,000 was also disbursed to the beneficiaries as stipends for transport back to their base.
Doro revealed that the beneficiaries learnt entrepreneurial and business management, financial literacy and customer relations which would aid them in their place of businesses and trade.
On his part, Chief Executive Officer, NSIPA, Dr. Badamasi Lawal urged the beneficiaries to use their equipment judiciously and efficiently.
Speaking at the event, National Programme Manager, Dr. Nsikak Okon said the government would monitor the beneficiaries and ensure that the starter packs given to them were used for the trade they learnt rather than sell it.
One of the beneficiaries, Lois John Remfat who learnt Agricultural Technology as a side hustle said the economy has not been fair, hence the need to learn a trade to augment her salary.
She said this would also help her employ other people for them to also make a living.
Daily Trust
