From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State
In its bid to address the alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria, Kogi state government has promised to give financial assistance to women and youths across the three senatorial districts of the state who are willing to embark on agricultural activities and small scale businesses.
The state commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Gabriel Olofu gave the hint at a One- Day Stakeholders Forum on promotion of Sustainable Income Generating Activities organized by Solidaridad West Africa in collaboration with Participation Initiative For Behavioural Change in Development held in Lokoja on Thursday.
The commissioner held that women and youths constitutes the majority population of any nation’s productive sector hence the need for their empowerment to boost the ailing economy and food security in the country.
He maintained that assisting the youths to be self reliant is a great investment that worth its onions as it would go a long way in reducing youths restiveness bedevilling Nigeria at the moment.
Olofu therefore called on the women and youths wishing to improve on their businesses to approach the Care Unit of the Kogi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry for necessary registration and documentation.
The commissioner noted that the state is blessed with abundant natural resources that could be tapped to reduce unemployment and provide empowerment means for citizens.
In her paper titled “Linkages establishment for value chain base/alternative funding access by women and youths” during the stakeholders forum, the Managing Director/CEO of Kogi Enterprise Development Agency, Rekiya Sanni stressed the need for government at all levels to continue to embark on sensitization programmes on wealth creation.
She also challenged governments to always embrace the process that would encourage women and youths in wealth creation for themselves.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Participation Initiative For Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID), Halimat Sadiq had expressed the readiness of her organization not to relent in the crusade to tackle women and child abuse as well as promotion of gender equality in the society.
