Adherence to rules key to Job creation success, says Eboh ~ Truth Reporters

By Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh and Promise Ogana

The huge success recorded in the Delta State Job Creation STEP/YAGEP since its inception has been ascribed to strict adherence to the rules and regulations guiding the implementation of the programme.

The Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, Prof Eric Eboh, made the assertion during the Second Batch Orientation Workshop organized for trainers engaged to train beneficiaries who enrolled in the 2020/2021 STEP Cycle in Asaba.

The Trainers numbering over 100 were engaged to train beneficiaries whose training duration would be four months such as Catering and Confectionery; Hairdressing and Braiding; Audio-Visual Services, and PoP, Painting and Screed-Making.

Prof Eboh pointed out that the purpose for the Orientation Workshop was to help the trainers get familiarized with the rules, regulations and code of conduct guiding the training of beneficiaries of the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and to perfect the documentation of selected STEP trainers before the onset of the training exercise.

He explained that the job creation programme has undergone series of review in the past years aimed at improving its outcome, adding that trainers who failed to meet the standard of the bureau have been delisted while new ones whose centers have been verified and confirmed to have the capacity to train in the job creation programme have been engaged in the new cycle.

“The reason the job creation programme is recording huge success and is in huge demand is because the rules are kept. The job creation programme is credible and is rated highly both nationally and internationally. I call on you to uphold the code of conduct,” he stated.

He disclosed that the application process was made open to all Delta youths in their respective local government areas, stressing that 23, 930 application forms were submitted with 12, 576 candidates shortlisted for interview while 600 candidates were successful and enrolled in the 2020/2021 STEP Cycle as budgeted for.

According to him, “Every enrolled candidate in STEP/YAGEP has been budgeted for from the beginning. I thank His Excellency, Governor Ifeany Okowa, for the political will to support the programme from inception till date. We have trained and established 5,074 beneficiaries in five years. There is no one that qualified to receive starter park having past the Post Training Proficiency Test that is not established.”

While urging them to interface regularly with the job creation bureau through its portal- deltastatejobcreation.net, he tasked them to give trainees unhindered access to their centers’ equipment and facilities and to report truancy and absenteeism by trainees to the bureau.

On his part, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring, Mr. Edward Mekwunye, represented by the Special Assistant (Technical), Pastor Festus Eligbo, reiterated that the job creation programme is designed to create a viral micro and small business enterprises for youths in order to create employment and wealth.

He stated that the role of the Directorate for Youth Monitoring and Mentoring is to monitor the trainers and trainees to ensure that the job creation standard is strictly adhered to, enjoining them to nurture the trainees to become their ambassadors.

Also speaking, a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on job Creation, Engr. Chukwuka Osumili advised them to take the training seriously and to expose the trainees to all the procedures to ensure that the trainees are well equipped to pass the PTPT and to sustain their businesses after establishment.

Responding on behalf of other trainers, the CEO of Chommy Confectionery, Mrs. Franca Alegbu and that of Statiationz Place, Mrs Blessing Ebo, expressed their happiness being part of the job creation success stories since its inception, thanking the State Government and the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer and his team for their efforts at building a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The Senior Special Assistants to the Governor on Job/Wealth Creation in the bureau, Mr. Emmanuel Osazuwa and Hon Patrick Okei were present at the ceremony.