By Rosemary Nwaebuni
In Delta State Government quest to continually provide Youths of the State opportunities to become self-employed and wealth creators, no fewer than 810 youths were yesterday enrolled into the third cycle of the Rural Youth Skill Acquisition Programme (RYSA) programme.
The youths who were officially inaugurated into the scheme by the Governor of Delta State and Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, were charged to take a cue from your predecessors by ensuring utmost sense of seriousness and responsibility as they go through the programmee.
Okowa who was represented at the occasion which held at the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Orrentation camp Issele-Uku by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah, revealed that the focus of RYSA was to concentrate efforts at developing youth entrepreneurs in rural communities who will stimulate the growth and development of business in their immediate communities.
The Governor disclosed that 810 youths comprised of three participants from each of the 270 electoral Ward across the State were enrolled into this third diet of RYSA, saying that like the previous cycles, the training and mentoring process were aimed beyond raising entrepreneurs, to producing young leaders and business managers who have imbibed high levels of personal discipline, responsibility and effectiveness that can affect their immediate environment positively.
“You should count yourselves privileged to have been selected from a pool of over 20,000 applicants to commence this cycle. I expect you to make the most of this opportunity by diligently applying yourself to the training programme. Like the slogan of the programme, I would encourage you to Make a Difference in your respective communities,” he charged.
In his welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Comrade Ifeanyi Egwunyenga said that the day’s event marked another milestone in the ministry as the programme was borne out of the State Government’s yearning to keep expanding the scope of its youth investment programme adding that the laudable program which began in 2020 has just added new set of participants to its fold.
He affirmed that the programme design was focused on skill enhancement as well as mindset and value orientation for its participants.
“Trainees on one hand will be expected to attend their hands-on training regularly at the assigned place of training to deepen their knowledge on their chosen trade, and on the other hand, attend the Community Business School (CBS) once a week at their Local Government Secretariat to be trained on Business and Life Skill,” he explained.
Egwunyenga urged the new intakes to take both aspect of the training seriously by availing themselves the opportunities of learning new things and bonding with their colleagues, saying that the training will exposed them to lots of new ideas and unquantifiable knowledge.
He explained that government’s ultimate desire from the scheme was to share in their joy of becoming successful entrepreneurs, contributing their quote to the local economy and the Stronger Delta Agenda.
“I wish to reiterate the State Government’s willingness to ensure that you get the best from this training Programme and we believe in your potentials and trust that as participants in the programme, your skills will be sharpened, and your knowledge of business management greatly improved.
“However, you must also keep to your own end of the bargain by being disciplined throughout the training duration and pay attention to details. That is only way you can get the best of the training programme,” he admonished.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who was elated by the charged ambience of the participants’ jubilation and chanting of joyful songs, urged them to imbibe the right attitude by ensuring better customer relationship in order to become great entrepreneurs, adding that good customer relationship remains the ultimate key in business growth.
He assured that as their businesses grow, they will become instructors, supervisors, great employers of labour and Chief Executive Officers of high repute, even as he urged them to ensure the good gesture of Governor Okowa is reciprocated by voting for him and all PDP candidates at the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
