Some young entrepreneurs in Delta State have extolled Ifeanyi Okowa, their state governor, following his redemption of N57 million promise to them, to boost their businesses.
The financial support was given to 75 star entrepreneurs otherwise known as STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs, for their outstanding performances in their enterprises since they were trained and established by the Delta State
Government through the Job and Wealth Creation Programme.
Another category of the beneficiaries of the financial support are the 40 STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs that also go extra mile of showcasing their talents in singing under STEP/YAGEP Choir, as well as those in the dance group.
The other category of the beneficiaries of the cash support are four distinguished Girl-Child entrepreneurs who successfully completed their training under the Girl-Child Entrepreneurship Training ( Project GEST) despite their challenges.
The governor who made the promise to them in separate events held in Asaba last month, kept his word on Tuesday, March 22, an action many said have lent credence to the fact that the governor was committed to his vision of raising an army of entrepreneurs that would help build the state’s economy beyond oil.
BusinessDay was present at the Unity Hall of the Government House, Asaba, the state capital, venue for the official disbursement ceremony and observed that the awardees had travelled from their various local government areas to Asaba for the event.
They were told that they would individually receive credit alerts right inside the hall. In less than 10 minutes of this pronouncement, they started receiving alerts that triggered excitements from them, thus they began to shower praises on the governor.
Kelvin Atano, chief executive officer of JK Science Tech Innovative Company Limited who spoke on behalf of the recipients, thanked the governor for the gesture done to them.
“Our governor is Ekwueme – The Talk and Do Governor! Before, I wasn’t a believer but now I believe that this is real.
Okowa is a visionary leader, creating an army of enterpreneurs. Soon, there will be the emergence of the Elumelus and Dangotes from these young enterpreneurs” he exclaimed.
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Governor Okowa who was represented at the occasion by Patrick Ukah, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), while performing the symbolic presentation of the money to the awardees, said that he was
excited that the hope of the present administration, to build a new Delta State was being realized.
Most of you may not know that the logo of the state on your chest (on the T-shirts) and the state flag, and of course our state’s anthem; that all sitting in this hall are testimonies of what we felt when we designed them and which is to build a new Delta, he told the awardees.
The governor noted that the vision and dream are to build a new Delta of young men and women who would stand on their own and know their right from their left.
“That’s the dream of SMART Delta. After four years, we grew the SMART Delta to Stronger Delta. And our dream is that we leave behind a stronger Delta where the man that God will send to us in. 2023 will build from where we’ll stop.”
Every opportunity that we have is to share the joy of these new group of people who will change the shape of Delta State, he said, reiterating that the administration has built roads and done a lot of things but that one thing it cherishes is seeing the youths that have been economically empowered to think Delta first.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Eric Eboh, a professor and chief job and wealth creation officer of the state had noted that the day was evidence that hardwork, preseverance and diligence never disappoint.
He said that the beneficiaries were just few out of the many of the youths trained by the state government that were doing well, hence he described them as the lucky ones and urged them to continue with virtues of hardwork, preseverance and diligence.
He thanked the governor for the timely fulfilment of the promise just as he applauded the beneficiaries for their outstanding performances that spurred the governor to give them the financial support.
Marylin Okowa-Daramola, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Girl-Child Empowerment described the award as very well deserved especially as Nigerians are currently facing tough times, thus she prayed that the money redoubles in the hands of the awardees.
Also, Edward Muekwunye, the executive assistant to the governor on Youth Mentoring and Monitoring, admonished the awardees to turn their lives to success.
Enddy Sunny-Udjor, the CEO of NIOC Studios also commended the governor and prayed that the next governor of the state would continue from where incumbent stopped.
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