About 90 unemployed youths are presently undergoing training in fashion, leather work and hairdressing in Taraba State.
The training, which is geared at addressing the unemployment challenges in the state, is being facilitated by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN).
The programme, which commenced in Jalingo, the state capital, was designed to enhance youths’ engagement in productive ventures.
Speaking, the Director-General of the agency, Olawale Fasanya, said the agency had developed the programme to provide entrepreneurship skills and vocational skills, as well as the provision of empowerment materials to fill the capacity gap of the youths.
Represented by the agency’s Head of Enterprises, Dr. Funto Babarinde, the DG noted that the programme supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the most practical way.
The initiative will also build the capacity of youths to earn income and fill the artisan gap in the country.
The programme, he said had been implemented in all the states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where a total of 3,330 entrepreneurs had been impacted with entrepreneurship skills, vocational skills and empowerment equipment at the rate of 90 per state and the FCT.
The agency, according to him, is optimistic that improved business management practices and service provision by trained artisans would be achieved, adding that the training will no doubt turn the participants to become employers of labour.
Access to finance, equipment and other business resources, as well as an increase in the number of formalised artisanal businesses, he said, would be impacted by the participants.
