A former Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, has encouraged the youths to focus more on entrepreneurship in order to be self reliant and self employed.
Nebo made the call at the second Anniversary of The Potters Wheel Foundation, a skill acquisition and entrepreneurial center in Enugu on Tuesday.
Nebo, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Special Guest of Honour at the event, described this era as that of enterprise.
“Today is the period of entrepreneurship. What you are doing is the way to the future.”
According to him, acquisition of University degrees and diplomas are still okay, but soon, certificates will become obsolete, since those with skills will displace degree holders.
The former minister implored authorities of the foundation never to relent in their onerous commitment towards changing the narrative in the face of the country’s socio-economic reality.
“So keep on impacting the youths with the manufacturing initiatives.”
In a message to the event, Mr Peter Mba, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Enugu State, said the skill acquisition Programme was in line with his agenda for the state in 2023.
Mba, who was represented by Mrs. Ugochi Madueke, the Managing Director, Nike Lake Resort Hotels, said if elected, his administration would earmark N100 billion for the benefit of Small scale enterprises, not to alleviate, but to eradicate poverty in the state.
“I am profoundly delighted and proud that all the products displayed here are made in Enugu,” he said.
Referring to the young manufacturers, made up of mainly youths and women, Mba pledged to partner with Potters Wheel Foundation to increase the tempo of its activities.
The governorship candidate commended the President of the foundation, Mr Godsown Onuzulike and his team for the giant strides and records of accomplishments.
The MD/CEO, Nike Lake Resort said she was touched by the fact that even the physically challenged could be involved in the manufacturing of several essential household materials on display.
“Under Mr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah administration, Enugu is going to be the centre of attraction, centre of investment, such that poverty will become history in the state,” Madueke said.
Earlier in his address, President/Founder, Potters Wheel Foundation,Mr Onuzulike regretted that Nigerian youths acquired certificates that, “are unable to place food on the breakfast table.”
Pastor Onuzulike explained that the inadequacies and the disconnect prevalent in the socio-economic structures of the country had been the driving force in the activities of the Foundation.
He noted that unemployment, poverty, hunger, crime and insecurity, had made Nigeria and Africa a difficult place for habitation.
“The situation whereby our youths have gone haywire in their quest to acquire wealth has now become so bad, and still deteriorating.
“Our country is seen as a pariah in the comity of even less privileged and endowed nations.
“The fear that the situation would slip into worse from bad if nothing was done, and urgently too became our drive and motivation,” he said.
The president said the foundation had ran among others, Free Vocational and Entrepreneurial Training in the areas of Confectionaries, Skin Care, Hygienic Products, Catering, Natural Beverages, Arts and Crafts, Information Technology, and Animal Husbandry.
He said that new products like, Solar Panels, Leather Bags, Shoes had also been added.
Onuzulike said that in partnership with the Enugu State Ministry of Youths and Sports, the Foundation had been able to train over 3,500 youths and women in various fields of endeavour in the state.
The Foundation, he said, had also been in partnership with several other national and international groups, all in an effort to reduce to the barest minimum social vices resulting from hardship.
The event witnessed exhibition of products produced by the participants, Presentation of Certificates to successful trainees; Motivational Talks to outgoing trainees and Humanitarian Service Award to deserving public Servants.
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The Admin Officer, Ms Esther Nomeh, provided insights into some challenges faced by the Small scale enterprises, including government policies ranging from high taxation, lack of adequate capital, lack of Startup Kits, Logistics among others.
According to Nomeh, we have diversified our operations, so we need acquisition of tools to help in the training. We also need sponsors, facilitators and a bus for us to reach out to youths in the interiors.”