…100,000 people to be trained and empowered with funding.

All is now set for the commencement of a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Growth Programme under which 100,000 Ekiti people would be trained and empowered with funding.

The State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Otunba Kayode Fasae who disclosed this during an engagement with newsmen in Ado -Ekiti said the initiative which is a partnership between Wema Bank Plc and the Ekiti State Government would provide training for selected individuals in all categories of MSMEs operating in the State, and with a view to empowering the trained MSMEs with funding for accelerating economic growth in the State.

Fasae revealed that the programme is part of the efforts of present Administration in the State to create employment opportunities and resonate with the global commitments to frontally tackle the rising youth unemployment.

He stated that the skill development programme would be deplored via virtual instructor-led training and e-learning platforms and would be followed by in-person training at Ado and other strategic locations.

Commissioner Fasae said the programme would among things address poor business management skills, poor access to finance, poor access to information, poor access to market, poor access to network and supportive ecosystems as well as sharpen the participant’s skills in digital and financial literacy.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun said the initiative was part of efforts to actualize the campaign promises of Governor Biodun Oyebanji to transform Ekiti from a civil service state to a land full of finance yielding businesses.

He pledged that the State Government will vigorously work towards the success of the programme as it would take 100,000 Ekiti people out of poverty and provide them with a reliable source of living adding that this would be a major milestone for the Oyebanji Administration .

Olatunbosun who commended the youths of the State for not joining the nationwide protests assured Wema Bank that their investment under the programme would yield positive results.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Youth development, Mr Gold Adedayo said the youths in the state have already been mobilized to take part in the programme.

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In his remarks, the regional manager of Wema Bank plc, Mr Niyi Owaduge said that the bank would continue to partner Ekiti State government and support all the initiatives that would better the lives of Ekiti people.

Also speaking at the press conference, the Head of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) of the bank, Mr Arthur Nkemeh who said that the partnership with the government is well researched to identify the gaps and the needs of MSMEs revealed that it is about impacting the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product ( GPD), improving productivity for revenue generation.

He also said that under the programme, 100,000 youths would be trained and empowered in different vocations including transferable digital skills.