No fewer than fifty-five (55) participants across the twenty-one (21) Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Adamawa State have benefitted from a 4-day extensive entrepreneur and vocational training, aimed at empowering and enhancing their livelihoods to enable them become useful to themselves, their families and the society as a whole.
Among the fifty-five (55) beneficiaries, about fifteen (15) are from Adamawa Southern Senatorial District across its nine (9) Local Government Areas (LGAs) that constitute the District.
The participants underwent elaborate trainings on laundry and dry cleaning, fashion and design (tailoring), and catering among others. Equipment and tools have been given to them free-of-charge with recognised certificate to enable them set up businesses that would make them self-reliant..
The National Business Development Empowerment Skill Initiative (NBDSI) programme was made possible by Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe, Senator representing Adamawa Southern Senatorial Zone, who saw the need to facilitate the training for the benefit of his constituents.
The programme, which was hosted by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in its Adamawa State office, empowered not less than fifty-five (55) artisans with the necessary equipment needed to become self-reliance in their quest to contributing their quota to the growth of the overall economy.
Speaking to newsmen, the Chief Entrepreneurship Officer, SMEDAN Department of Entrepreneurship Development and Promotion, Isak Ahmid, said that the programme was aimed at alleviating poverty and creating job opportunities which would go a long way in creating economic tool to making the masses self-reliant.
He noted that structures have been put in place for monitoring and mentoring the activities of the beneficiaries in order to ensure the purpose of the training is achieved.
Ahmid said that the programme has nothing to do with politics, hence they made sure it carried an entrepreneurship concept in the interest of all beneficiaries irrespective of their political backgrounds.
While commending the quality of equipment being given to the beneficiaries, the Chief Entrepreneurship Officer called on them to utilise the equipment for the purpose intended.
Also speaking, the Adamawa State Manager SMEDAN, Mustapha Ali Gana, said that the programme was focussed on training the participants on laundry and dry cleaning, fashion and design as well as catering, with each beneficiary being presented with free equipment and certificate issued to them for smooth running of their respective businesses.
Gana explained that the aim of the programme was to eradicate poverty and improve the livelihoods of the masses, adding that effective measures have been put in place to ensure the success of the programme.
He stated, “These equipment are of high quality. For instance, each industrial sewing machine here costs over three hundred thousand naira. That is why I am using this medium to call on all the beneficiaries not to sell the equipment, but use them effectively for their benefits”.
A cross section of beneficiaries who interacted with newmen shortly after the 4-day training, commended Senator Binos Yaroe for facilitating the programme and ensuring his constituents benefit from the NBDSI programme being hosted by SMEDAN.
One of the beneficiaries, Zakiyatu Atiku Alhassan from Ganye LGA, who could not hide her joy, thanked Senator Binos Yaroe for enrolling her in the programme, where she promised to utilise the knowledge she got using the equipment.
In her words, “I was enrolled in the aspect of catering. This knowledge will help me a lot. I want to use this opportunity to call on women not to stay idle, but find meaningful businesses to do in order to assist their husband in the house. It is very important”.
Another beneficiary, Evelyn Musa Heman from Mayo-Belwa LGA, who was taught fashion and design, said that she lacked words to appreciate what Senator Binos has done in her life with the training and free electric sewing machine.
According to her, “Senator Binos just called us to be beneficiaries of this programme. I underwent training on fashion and design. At the end, an electric sewing machine worth over three hundred and fifty thousand naira has been given to me for free. I will also train others with this equipment. I really appreciate Senator Binos for the kind gesture”.
Ibrahim Ahmed is also among the beneficiaries who was trained on fashion and design and an electric sewing machine and a certificate were presented to him. He described that as a dream come true for him.
In his words, “We have been taught on the practical and theory of fashion and design in sewing. I am now an expert in tailoring. In fact, after I leave here, I will open my tailoring shop and have apparentices that I will teach them what I have been taught in the programme.
“This is not the first time that Senator Binos Yaroe is helping us in this district. For the past couple of years, he has been providing free medical outreaches to us. To me, it is more than this training because health comes first before other things”.
Highlights of the training programme were the issuing of free equipment to the beneficiaries with the presentation of certificate to back their knowledge on the various skills they acquired.
