By Michael Oladapo,
ASABA – Delta state government yesterday graduated 1,000 youths of the 2020/2021 cycle in the Skill Training Entrepreneurial Programme (STEP) and the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneur Programme (YAGEP) and equipped them with starter packs and take-off grants.
Among the beneficiaries are 25 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), one in each from the 25 local government areas of the state, comprising 654 STEPreneurs and 346 YAGEPreneurs.
Since its inception in 2015, job creation empowerment has covered 6,074 beneficiaries. The number has expanded the portfolio of the youth empowerment programmes, including RYSA, GEST, WESAP and ICT-YEP of the state government.
Speaking yesterday in Asaba during the graduation ceremony of 1,000 STEP and YAGEP beneficiaries, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa hailed the proper documentation of the programme since 2015 said the initiative is a ‘work in progress for an expanding programme.
He said the programme is about the technical know-how of beneficiaries as he urged the graduands not to kill the dream of a stronger Delta pursuit with a weak mind.
According to him, ”it is only an irresponsible person that will succeed me and not continue with this programme because it is a responsible initiative. It has been legislated upon and signed into law by me.”
He warned there would be no favouritism or nepotism in admission of beneficiaries would be benefit and block the chance of others, to desist or risk being prosecuted,
He then splashed a gift of N500,000 each on the 75 outstanding beneficiaries, N10 million and N7.5 million for the choir and dancing group of the programmes.
The Chief Job Creation Officer, Prof. Eric Eboh, to Governor Okowa said the 1,000 beneficiaries have been trained in occupational, entrepreneurial and business skills.
He said the beneficiaries have been given starter-packs, shop-rent-support, other support packages, including cash support for critical farm operations.
He announced that a small sample of previous STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs have been profiled in a Hall of Fame as an informative reference to promote outstanding beneficiaries in an ongoing series.
He said two online programme Management Information System (MIS) – the job creation website and an open access Digital Programme Portal.
”The portal contains key programme information including databank of beneficiaries from inception to date, a databank of all trainers, training tools, enterprise starter-pack checklist and programme flow chart.
‘Sustainability tool is the 5-Yr Masterplan of Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau. The Masterplan is driven by the legal enactment of the Job Creation Office as Job and Wealth Creation Bureau. The Masterplan provides the roadmap and signposts for enhancing the relevance, impacts and sustainability of the job creation model into the future.”
