For 40 retirees in Imo, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) launched a specialised skill development programme on Tuesday.
The initiative was launched on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 in Owerri by Mr. Olawale Fasanya, Director-General of SMEDAN, who said its goal was to encourage retirees to develop their skills and gain financial independence.
The initiative will focus on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), according to Fasanya, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion, Mr. Tunde Oloidi. He said that this would not only help to reduce poverty but also foster independence.
The programme, he continued, would increase participants’ involvement in profitable endeavours since, at the conclusion of the training, they would receive starter kits in vulcanizing and food processing.
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Oloidi pointed out that the assessment process carried out by the agency’s state manager was what led to the decision to concentrate on food processing and vulcanizing.
“It is a programme created to fill the target group’s capacity gaps with entrepreneurship skills, updated vocational skills, and the distribution of empowerment materials. This would ensure that they cover the artisanal vacuum in Nigeria and, as a result, encourage the development of skills among retirees, he said.
He also praised Hope Uzodimma, the governor of the state, for creating an environment that allowed MSMEs to flourish there.
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Additionally, SMEDAN was praised for encouraging job creation and empowerment in the state by Mr. Paul Ozumba, the Commissioner for Labour, Productivity, and Employment.
Ozumba, who was represented by Mr. Kelechi Ekomaru, a ministry employee, also applauded the organisation for incorporating Imo in the programme and urged recipients to take advantage of the chance.
Earlier, Dr. Josiah Ugochukwu, the state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, said the scheme was a welcome innovation and ideal for retirees.
He said that the majority of retirees had no means of support and would therefore profit substantially from the scheme.
The majority of us have remained idle since we have nothing to rely on after retirement; this well-thought-out scheme is a good development.
