Amby Uneze in Owerri
Worried by the low economic fortunes of many rural people in Imo State occasioned by lack of empowerment leading to hardship, a non-governmental organization, Hope Rising For Imolites Foundation in collaboration with Pato-Binto Entrepreneurial and Skills Acquisition Company, Abuja, have decided to offer training on skills acquisition to about 300 beneficiaries across the 27 local government of the State.
In his keynote remarks on the flag-off of the two-week training held at the Noah’s Ark Church auditorium in Ogbor Uvuru, Aboh Mbaise local government, the founder of Hope Rising For Imolites Foundation, Chief Obioma Success Akagburuonye said that his mission is to create means of sustainable livelihood among the people of the State by empowering them with different skills and to cushion the effect of economic imbalance in the country.
Chief Akagburuonye reiterated his passion for the people remains to see them happy and be able to put food on their table without waiting for crumbs falling from the table of politicians and those who do not care much about them, but believing in God that by sticking to the training they can be also trainers of other people in future.
He maintained he is not a professional politician that feeds from politics but a successful businessman with verifiable means of livelihood that sustains him and his well-wishers.
The founder advised the participants to take the opportunity serious, adding “learn the skills, go to your village and start something now that would benefit you, your family and others in the near future.”
He also reminded them to make effective use of the training to enable them become self-dependent, adding “People embezzle money when they do not have projects to spend money on, they will line their pockets and use it to buy your conscience and your vote, pay you to work against your interest and leave you regretting in your old age.
“I promised myself and I have confessed it that if I see any good thing in Imo State, I will attract it to Mbaise, if I see anything good outside Imo State, I will attract it to Imo State, and if I see anything good outside Nigeria, I will attract it to Nigeria,” he said.
The Director of Project of Pato-Binto Entrepreneurial and Skills Acquisition Company, Muhammed Saheeb, said the company has been into training of youths and women to become job creators rather than job seekers in the across the country.
“This initiative is meant for the youths and women across the state. The programme would feature six critical departments designed to equip participants with practical, marketable, and income-generating skills.”
He noted that the training will cover makeup artistry, where participants, particularly women and young girls will receive training in professional makeup techniques, an industry that continues to provide substantial business opportunities and financial rewards, event decoration that will expose participants to event decoration and management, a thriving sector within the event planning industry that offers significant income opportunities, catering and pastry production that provides trainees with knowledge on the preparation of pastries, snacks, and various African dishes, equipping them with skills for both employment and entrepreneurship.
Saheed pointed out that participants will also be exposed to understanding how to prepare household chemicals such as detergents, liquid soaps, disinfectants, and other cleaning agents for personal use and commercial purposes among other skills, including paint manufacturing.
“The theoretical aspect of the programme would focus on entrepreneurship education, business management, and enterprise development. Entrepreneurship education has become a major vehicle for nation-building. No nation can thrive without entrepreneurs,” he stated.