Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Saturday, issued a cheque worth N2 billion to 5000 beneficiaries of the One Youth, Two Skills scheme in the state.
The scheme was launched early this year with the aim of empowering Anambra youths with skills and resources they need to start their own businesses and become self-sufficient.
The beneficiaries were trained in two skills of their choices, provided with a start-up grant, and mentored for one year under the scheme.
Ikengaonline reports that the scheme was targeted at youths and has been praised for its focus on practical skills and its commitment to providing beneficiaries with the support they need to succeed.
Soludo explained during the presentation ceremony that having formed themselves into cooperatives, there is a special funding put aside through Anambra State Small Business Agency, (ASBA) for those who want to scale up their enterprise to access grants for up to five million naira.
He pointed out that the grant each of them will receive should be enough to purchase the equipment they need to start, asking them to approach their respective local government areas next week to pick up their cheques which are ready.
While revealing that human capital is Anambra’s greatest resource, the governor described youths as the bridge to the future, saying that his administration believes in making empowerment in a sustainable manner.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Patrick Agha-Mba said that the part two will soon commence, pointing out that it is a revolution to take the youth to the next level and projected that in the next two years, the beneficiaries would have become employers of labour.
The Deputy Director of UNIZIK Business School, Prof. Chinedu Onyeizugbe, said that the robust curriculum designed to develop trainees’ skills in the crosscutting disciplines that make for successful entrepreneurship and business management, include courses on personal development skills, personal thinking skills, among others.
