Okowa’s Youth Development Efforts Phenomenal, Says Commissioner
Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s youth development efforts have been described as unprecedented and phenomenal and the best safeguard against explosion in youth unemployment.
The state Commissioner for Youth Development, Ifeanyi Egwuyenga, made the assertion at the closure of the boot camp of the state-owned Tertiary Institutions Entrepreneurship Programme (TEP) at the Delta State NYSC orientation camp, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.
A total of 143 beneficiaries drawn from Delta State-owned universities, colleges of education and polytechnics, successfully completed the TEP training in line with the youth entrepreneurial and empowerment initiatives of the Okowa’s administration.
He noted that the TEP was a product of “a clear-cut agenda to revamp the cause of youths in the state,” which culminated in November 2019 upgrade of the Directorate of Youth Development to a new, full-fledged Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) charged with “meaningfully engaging our teeming youths through Entrepreneurship/Skill Development and Mindset/Value Reorientation programmes.
“Since the upgrade, there has been tremendous improvement in terms of well-thought out policy initiatives, capacity building, empowerment programmes and systematic approach to resetting the mindset of the vast population of the youths in the state.”
Egwuyenga added: “The Tertiary Institutions Entrepreneurship Programme (TEP) is another novel initiative of this youth-friendly administration of Governor Okowa. TEP is designed to encourage entrepreneurship spirit in students at the state-owned tertiary institutions of learning with innovative business ideas.
“Under the programme, eligible undergraduate with exceptional entrepreneurial drive that needs capacity building, mentorship and business start-up support are trained and supported with relevant tools and finance to realise their dreams through a venture capital arrangement.
“A total of 143 successful applicants to the programme received training in the current boot camp, undergoing the necessary training and capacity building.”
While itemising the objectives and benefits of the training scheme, the commissioner x-rayed some of programmes and activities of the Okowa administration, spanning youth demography vis-â-vis their participation in governance, capacity building and various empowerment.
“From the outset, not only were the interests of Delta youths factored into the policies and programmes of the Okowa administration wrapped around the SMART and Stronger Delta initiatives, but they have also remained key drivers of these policies and programmes.
“To demonstrate that his mantra: ‘Prosperity for All Deltans’ is not a cliché but unwavering resolve to build the economic capacity of the state through entrepreneurship, the Okowa administration channeled lots of energy and resources towards the development and advancement of youths in the state through various empowerment programmes, adopting multi-sectoral approach to reach a wider demography of the youths in different categories,” he explained.
Also, the Chief Consultant at Optimum Resources Management and Consult Limited, Dr. Anthony Chovwen, noted that the curriculum for the Bootcamp Class went beyond the common introductory instructions on the elements of entrepreneurship by taking the participants through a comprehensive scheme in entrepreneurship and business management in the contemporary world.
He revealed that although a total of 1,300 applications were received from students of the seven tertiary institutions across the state, only 143 scaled through the second stage of the rigorous selection process, involving ICT appreciation test held on March 13 this year, thus making them eligible for the four-week Entrepreneurship Master Class (EMC), which exposed them to the necessary tools of resources management, accounting principles, costing and business plan preparation modules.
