Ekiti govt partners bank to train, finance MSMEs

The Ekiti state government has collaborated with the Wema Bank to train and empower no fewer than 100,000 youths and owners of all categories of Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Speaking during the unveiling of the programme in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Monday, the commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Kayode Fasae explained that the training was necessary to engage the youths and entrepreneurs towards expansion of business and growth.

Fasae while commending the leadership of the bank for the partnership, noted that the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji was committed to improve the socio-economic development of the state through productive engagement of the youths.

He added that the training of the business owners would be a platform for them to acquire the needed skills and be supported with the required capital for growth and creation of wealth in the state.

Fasae advised youths and entrepreneurs in the state to take advantage of this opportunity by enrolling for the training, reiterating the ministry’s commitment of achieving its mandate of being a veritable platform for wealth creation and employment.

The commissioner said, “This skill development program will be developed via virtual instructor-led training and e-learning platform, which will be followed by in-person training at Ado-Ekiti and other strategic locations across the State.

“The program will address among other things: poor business management skills, poor access to finance, poor access to information, poor access to market, poor access to networks and supportive ecosystems. Thus, the intervention intends to sharpen the participants’ skills in digital, and financial literacy.

“Despite the challenges posed by rising unemployment especially among the youth, we remain resolute in our determination to turn the challenges of unemployment into economic benefits in the form of maximising wealth creation and ultimately raising the Gross Domestic Product of the State.”

Speaking, the head of MSMEs in Wema Bank, Arthur Nkemeh said the partnership was aimed at bridging the gap in skills acquisition and funding for youths and business owners in the state for employment opportunities and growth of the state’s economy.

Nkemeh disclosed that the training of the 100,000 MSMEs would be for three months , saying that participants would be exposed to a wide range of topics including digital marketing, project management among others.

The commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun while commending the bank for collaborating with the state , added that one of the major priorities of the Oyebanji-led administration is to make the state an industrial hub from the perceived civil service state.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE