Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, will today perform the official inauguration of the Job and Wealth Creation Scheme of the state government barely two months after it was flagged off.

The inauguration ceremony to be performed at SONGHAI-DELTA in Amukpe, will be the highlight of the orientation programme for 1,345 trainees drawn from the 25 local government areas of the state for the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) and Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP).

In a statement signed by the Chief Job Creation Officer of the state, Prof. Eric Eboh, “the overall strategy of the job creation scheme is to equip unemployed youths with the technical know-how, vocational skills, values and resources to become self-employed and employers of labour.”

The training module for the one-week Orientation Programme includes courses in personal effectiveness, leadership and problem-solving to give participants the requisite life skills and mind-set change essential for them to become successful entrepreneurs.

Prof. Eboh explained that the “curriculum is designed to expose participants to both theoretical instruction and hands-on experience in existing enterprises. Training is based on standard fit-for-purpose modules for the enterprise or trade.”

Prof Eboh said that after the orientation programme participants will further undergo apprenticeship training in selected training centres after which they will proceed for internship in existing businesses in their chosen fields. The training will then be rounded off with an intensive course on entrepreneurship and business management at Songhai-Delta after which graduates will be given starter packs to start their businesses.

Depending on the enterprise, the duration for the training lasts from three to six months. To pre-empt cases of participants dropping out along the way, Prof. Eboh disclosed that a monitoring and mentoring mechanism has been incorporated into the scheme to track performance of participants and provide them counselling when necessary. “Monitoring,’ he said, “is aided by ICT-based information transmission, tracking and reporting technologies.”

He advised those who were not included in the first phase of the programme to be patient. “The scheme is to be carried out in successive phases to tackle youth unemployment in our society. Since the scheme is continuing, those who are not taken in the first phase will have the opportunity to take part in subsequent phases.”

At the unveiling of the Job and Wealth Creation Scheme two months ago, Governor Okowa explained that it was designed to “create jobs and wealth, diversify the economy, engage youths in productive enterprises, nurture entrepreneurs and leaders, and promote communal peace and security.”

He assured that his administration was “determined and poised to deliver prosperity to everyone in Delta through the SMART agenda and it is on that note that we are launching this job creation scheme.”

In addition to YAGEP and STEP, the scheme also features other programmes including Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP), Development of Agro-industries and Microcredit.

•Photo shows Gov. Okowa.

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