Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, has warned all the 335 beneficiaries of the state Youth and Women Empowerment Programme against the sale of equipment given to them free by the state government to start their personal business. Any of the beneficiaries who sell the equipment risks going to jail, the governor said.
Governor Ishaku gave the warning, on Tuesday, in Jalingo, where he presided over the graduation ceremony of the participants. Each participant received a package of start-up equipment which included sewing machines, tools, generators, photo copiers and computers/printers. It was all smiles as the beneficiaries carted away the equipment ready to start a new life of entrepreneurship that will not make them self-dependent but will enable them to create job opportunities for others.
“You must not abuse this scheme the way previous ones were abused. Any attempt to abuse this gesture of government by any beneficiary shall be met by the full wrath of the law.”
According to the Governor, the packages were provided free because of the enthusiasm displayed by the beneficiaries and so the idea of selling them off should never even arise, adding that they were being closely monitored by government’s contact persons in their wards.
Governor Ishaku charged the grandaunts to use the skills they had acquired properly to enhance themselves professionally.
He commended the trainers for making the programme interesting enough for the beneficiaries to stay in it to the end noting that “my decision to approve the skills acquisition programme to cover tailoring, footwear designing, soap making, wood craft, carpentry, weaving of traditional attires and computer services was deliberate.” This, he said, was because of a strong personal conviction that “the things our youths and women can leverage on for self-sustenance are right here at our backyards.”
The skills acquisition programme was Governor Ishaku’s response to the people’s desperate desire for jobs which had featured constantly in reports collated for him from all the local governments by his special advisers and special assistants. He said he was encouraged by the success of the first batch of the scheme, adding that he will now order the Chief of Staff, Rebo Usman, to roll out the machinery for the commencement of the second phase.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Usman, said the skills acquisition programme was a fulfillment of Governor Ishaku’s campaign promise to empower women and youths. He said participants were carefully selected through a rigorous process and were paid a monthly salary of 10,000 Naira each during the three months duration of the training. He also took the Governor round the pavilion where products made by the participants during their training were on display. On display were furniture, shoes, fishing nets, soaps, assorted dresses and wood carvings, all made by the participants.
The skill acquisition programme was organised by the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and coordinated by the Rescue Watch, the monitoring organ of Governor Ishaku’s Rescue Agenda. Ishaku also performed the symbolic presentation of items and equipment bought by government to the beneficiaries.