Business
British Council Splash N2.4m On YSEC Winners
The British Council has dolled out the sum of B2.4 million to the eighth winners of the Youth Sustainable Enterprises Challenge (YSEC) programme in Rivers State.
The programme was organized by Entrepreneural Development Initiatives Programm (ENDIP) in collaboration with the British Council in Port Harcourt.
The Tide learnt that each of the eight winners will share the sum of #300,000.
Speaking with newsmen, The Director Programmes, British Council, Mr. Chikodi Onyemerele, said the Council in conjunction with the King Council has been making efforts to develop the enterpreneural skills of young Nigerians.
He said the programme was to create opportunity for the participants to develop skills that will be useful to them.
The Director of Programme, who described Nigeria as a vast county with limited resources, also stressed the need for corporate organizations and governments to invest in skills development of young people in the country.
He said by doing this, insecurity and other social vices will be checked in the country, and urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the opportunities to improve themselves and the society.
Onyemerel, who was the Guest of Honour at the occasion, said the Council has organized similar programmes in Enugu, Abuja, Lagos, Owerri and other parts of the country.
He said the participants will be assisted through mentoring and other support programms to enable them nurture their skills.
In her welcome address, the Executive Director of ENDIP, Mrs. Lilian Ari, said the organization has in the past 25 years stayed true to its vision of developing 10,000 enterprises capable of generating 30,000 jobs in the country by 2030.
“Our mission has been simple but powerful, to give young people the tools, training mentorship, finance and network they need to turn ideas into thriving businesses.
“From vocational skills to business incubation, from micro credit to venture equity we have walked this journey with thousands of young people and today we celebrate the next generation of change makers”, she said.
Mrs. Ari said time has come for the leadership of the Niger Delta to invest in youth development with the view to empowering young people.
“To the Niger Delta Development Commission and the South-South Development Commission, invest in these young people.
“To our state and Local Governments, make youth enterprise a budget priority”, she urged.
She also stressed the need for multinational corporations operating in the region, including oil companies, Banks and others to develop the enterpreneural skills of the youth.
Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman, Joint Association of Persons With Disabilities, Enugu State Chapter, Onyebuchi Mba, said majority of members of the Association in Enugu State have benefited from the programme, adding that it was reason why he was in Port Harcourt to show solidarity with them.
He said ENDIP and the British Council have established a sustainable development ideology that should be appreciated by all concerned.
Also speaking some of the participants and winners expressed excitement over the programme and pledged to make judicious use of the money.
By; John Bibor