Job creation: SMEDAN sensitizes 100 young entrepreneurs in Ebonyi

By Kelechi Nwoba

The Small and Medium Enterprise of Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has flagged-off sensitisation and capacity building programme for 100 young entrepreneurs in Ebonyi State through it scheme, tagged, "Young Business Owners in Nigeria (Y-BON)".

The Agency's Director-General, Dr Dikko Radda said at the flag-off ceremony in Abakaliki on Wednesday that the programme was designed to provide a platform where existing entrepreneurs either as stand-alone entities or cooperative societies are selected for capacity enhancement.

Radda, represented by the Agency's South-East Coordinator, Mr Canon Anyikwa described Y-BON as one of the Agency's wide impact programme for young Business Owners since 2017.

 He pointed that the main objective of Y-BON was to encourage the diversification of the economy in the society.

"Essentially, the target beneficiaries are 3, 000 existing enterprises owned by young people between the ages of 20-45.years. The focus on this target group is because of the need to create new opportunities for employment and enterprise growth which are usually not easily realisable in start-ups.

"Some other objectives are: to create confidence through exposure to current business processes and procedures, enabling participants to plan systematically and thus, increase their chances of success.

"To sharpen the skills and expose participants to latest technology and tools I'm their enterprise. Enhance the development of MSMEs in Nigeria among others," the D-G explained.

Prof.  Ogbonnaya Chukwu, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ebonyi commended the programme and urged the young persons to embrace entrepreneurship rather than searching for white-collar jobs.

Chukwu stated the need to develop oneself in business and added that the benefit of entrepreneur to human capital development could not be over-emphasised.

Mr Chigozie Asochukwu, SMEDAN's Coordinator in Ebonyi, said the participants in the programme were selected from the 13 local governments of the state.

Asochukwu urged the young entrepreneurs to be focused and make the good use of what they are going to learn and become employer.

Mr Aja Sunday,  a Participant also aplauded the programme and promise to utilize the knowledge and establish himself.