Over 200 people have benefitted from the United Nations Development Programme,(UNDP) skills acquisition programme while they were also empowered with full business start-up kits in Ekiti State
Speaking during the graduation at the technical school in Ado-Ekiti, the UNDP’s Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Programme Lead Team, Mr Mathew Alao, said the programme was inline with the Sustainable Development Goals’ principle of leaving no one behind.
The six months training was tagged,”UNDP Youth and Women, Victims of Violence and Crises in Ekiti.”
Mr Alao said the beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous screening exercise devoid of political influence, adding that they were placed with the Ekiti Board for Technical and Vocational Education,(BTVE), College, Ado-Ekiti for six months skill acquisition in 11 vocations.
He highlighted the skills and their beneficiaries to include, welding and fabrication (8), tailoring(57), catering and decoration(33), hair dressing (20)and leather production(27).
Other were, Plumbing and pipe filting(8), tiling(8), computer and GSM repair(17), POP, screening and painting(8), barbing (9) and electrical installation(5).
In his address, the Chairman, Ekiti BTVE, Mr Kayode Babade, expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the programme for counting Ekiti worthy of benefitting, and commended Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi for providing the enabling environment for the programme to strive.
He described the programme as laudable one, while congratulating the graduants.
He warmed the beneficiaries not to divert the equipment, threatening that whoever, does will have case to answer.
Two of the beneficiaries, Mr Yahaya Mohammed,(POP, painting and Screeding and Miss Kehinde Arisoyin,(Leather work) thanked the sponsors, promising that the equipment would be used for the purpose they are meant in order for them to contribute their own quotas to the development of the nation’s economy.
There were good will messages from ignitaries, who included, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, the Majority Leader of Ekiti House of Assembly, Ekiti Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Femi Ajayi and the Executive Secretary of Ekiti BTVE, Mr Abiodun Oguntunji among others.
