Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) –:
In continuation of the on-going handing out of starter packs to the beneficiaries of the 2016 Cycle of the Delta State Government’s Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), STEPreneurs trained in Catering and Confectionery have received theirs to establish their enterprises.
Presenting the starter packs to 87 beneficiaries at Asaba, the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, charged them to make judicious use of the starter packs so as to run a viable enterprise that could make them self-reliant and employers of labour.
Represented by the Chief Job Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, Governor Okowa, congratulated the beneficiaries for the successful completion of their training in different training centres across the state.
He said it was his expectation that the state witnessed through them a ‘’harvest of entrepreneurial ambassadors. We hope to succeed with you. What we expect is nothing less than success”.
He listed the items in the starter pack to include two components- Job Creation Grant and Microcredit (repayable). The Job Creation Grant component included a Master Chef electrical mixer, a Hoffner 9 litres chaffing dish and a deep freezer.
The Microcredit component were a fabricated gas oven with one cooker, a 12kg gas cylinder, a fabricated double burner cooker; a 35 gallons cast pot; a 7 litres cast frying pan; a giant Iceman food warmer; a potato cutter; a non-sticky frying pan; a kitchen scale; a cash allowance of #123,000.00 and a monthly stipend of #10,000.00 for three months.
He also said the State Government had made provision for transport allowance to enable them to convey their starter packs to their respective destinations.
Also speaking, the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr Mary Iyasere, admonished the beneficiaries on tips to business success in the catering enterprise.
She advised them to maintain cleanliness and good hygiene, to be polite and to maintain a healthy working relationship with their workers as well as their customers to ensure business growth.
While urging them to be committed to their enterprises by being physically present to supervise their workers at all times at every ceremony, she advised them to plough back their profits to ensure business growth.
On his part, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, Mr Edward Mekwunye, tasked the beneficiaries to work hard to succeed, stressing that, ‘’success not sustained is void.”
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Vivian Abamba and Eloho Linda Ogolosi expressed their gratitude to the Delta State Government for its commitment to tackling youth unemployment through its job creation programmes.
They advised other youths to take advantage of the programmes to become entrepreneurs and job creators instead of searching endlessly for non-existent white collar jobs.
*Contributed by Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh (Communication Officer)
Copyright © Blank NEWS Online.
All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce, publish, broadcast, rewrite or redistribute in whole or in part is only granted subject to appropriate credit being given to Blank NEWS Online as the source.
***Read Blank NEWS Online for regular news updates…Also like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter @blanknewsonlin1
Advertise in Blank NEWS Online.
Visit Us @:
www.blanknewsonline.wordpress.com
Email: blanknewsonline@ymail.com
Phone: +234 8037 644 337
Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) –
E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka
