No fewer than Five Hundred (500) indigene of Obosi have been inaugurated to acquire skilled training on Entrepreneurship in a bid to boost their Vocational Enterprises and livelihood.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
the entrepreneurship skills acquisition and training is a pilot phase Project of the Obosi Innovative skill and Empowerment Programme (OBISEP) otherwise called Obosi 1 Household 2 Skills Project a brain child of the Obosi Development Union (ODU) Skills Acquisition, Empowerment and Palliative (SAEP) Committee worldwide.
This OBISEP Entrepreneurship Training is put together in partnership with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Anambra State office, News Echo reports.
The event which took place at the Obosi Town Hall had initially offered Thirty one (31) Vocational Skills to the Graduands such as: Confectionery/Decorations, Solar energy/CCTV Installation, Basic ICT/ Digital Marketing,Cosmetology, Fashion/Cloth Making, Beauty Care/Gele, Poultry/Fishery, Cassava/Yam Production Value chain, Block/Bricks Moulding, Electrical Works/Installation among others.
Speaking at the opening remark, Nze Hon. Chisom Tim. Onugha, Chairman of Obosi Development (ODU), Skills Acquisition Empowerment and Palliatives (SAEP) Committee worldwide, said the journey started in last quarter of 2023 to impact lives for a better livelihood and sustainability of the economy of various families living in Households through Vocational skills acquisition, which over Five hundred Ndi Obosi have benefitted within the thirty-one various skills earlier undertaken.
“Last year December, we organised a OBISEP Graduation ceremony for the first batch of about 320 Ndi Obosi who have acquired vocational skills and currently the second batch, is made up of about 250 Ndi Obosi”.
He noted that the first and second batches are the target group who will benefit from these Entrepreneurial skills training.
“Nowadays giving vocational skills in our contemporary society is not enough, and this is one of the reasons Nigeria’s GDP is falling because most people do not know how to manage their business, or become an employer of labour, or grow their business efficiently to improve the economy. So, Entrepreneurial skills becomes imperative and the way to go, and that’s what we are doing today to embark on entrepreneurial skills training of these vocational acquired skills, currently numbering about Five Hundred(500) participants of Ndi Obosi.
The boss noted that the SMEDAN Anambra State office has equally played vital role in ensuring the success of these project. To lighten the burden, last week they have just successfully trained the Trainers; who are the OBISEP Resource Persons and Facilitators to enable them embark on this Entrepreneurship Skills Training effectively.
The OBISEP boss however advised participants to be diligent, follow the processes so that after the training, they will be reputably certified for successful participation.
“OBISEP pilot phase project have already gotten endorsements from the Ministry of Youth and the agency of Adult and Non-Formal Education in the Ministry of Education. So we are domesticating what the State administration are doing down to our Community level”.
“So we encourage the participants to also persevere, follow the processes, whatever packages we have for them will be realised in due course. Ndi Obosi home and Diaspora who are supporting this program, are desirous to continue to support it but is their commitment and resilience will determine the extent to which they will go. We have provision for Starter-pack, Seed/Take-Off funding in OBISEP project proposal. We are mindful of those who have started businesses already while undergoing these trainings, and after the training we have plans to register their ventures free of charge at CAC as an Enterprise with formalized business names”.
Performing the inauguration of the Entrepreneurship training, OBISEP Technical Team Leader and
Chairman of the event, Chief Sir Chris Rosco Okafor (Ezenwa Ugoeju-n’isi) while thanking the organisers of the programme for a job well done, said the training in no doubt will equip the Trainees meaningfully and be able to impact in them management skills needed to boost production sustainably and increase out put in their various enterprises.
He urged them to be mindful of the business ventures they are about to undertake. Adding that despite the Skill Acquisition there is need to ensure that one do not miss Education as it is the bed rock of development going forward.
Encouraging participants at the training, Sir. Rosco Okafor called on the Trainees to be committed towards self development.
“I am here to pray for you and wish you the best because it is among you that the world will know that Obosi people are great. So be more proactive and dedicated to this training and education”. He finally declared the OBISEP Entrepreneurship Skills Training officially opened.
Earlier speaking, the Present General of Obosi, Nze Barr. Chimezie Obi (Chinechendo) represented by Mr. Egbuonye Amala Christian, appreciated the Trainees for decision to acquire the innovative Skills while advicing them to be of good conduct and try as much as possible to be keen and learn whatever will be taught at the Training Centers. So that these source of motivation to Ndi Obosi who are earnestly supporting this project will remain intact. Reminding the OBISEP Graduates and Trainees that this project is free of charge for them but well meaning Ndi Obosi are sacrifizing resources to enable them become successful in life.
The ODU President General, expressed glowing appreciation to ever dedicated and pragmatic members of ODU SAEP-Committee Worldwide under leadership of the Nze Hon. Chisom Tim Onugha (Ebube-Ife). He pray for God’s infinite grace, protection and blessings with more capacity upon them as well as those providing sponsorship of Trainees.
Also speaking, a participant and OBISEP Entrepreneurship Resource Person Pastor Nsofor Gilbert Azubuike from Ugamuma village, said “we are prepared more than before. We submitted ourselves to training by SMEDAN to ensure smooth delivery. If you don’t plan to succeed, you plan to fail, with this training now a lot of people will come out of poverty and begin to walk on the pedestrian of prosperity”.
An OBISEP Vocational Skills Master Trainer, Mrs Clara Edomuani, while expressing happiness, frowned at the increasing rate of joblessness in Nigeria but through the intervention of OBISEP, she noted that a lot of Obosi people have been transformed and engaged into productive ventures.
Special attractions were the inauguration of the Resource Persons and Facilitators who had undergone a week intensive training and welcome remark by the Special Guest/Partner, SMEDAN, Anambra State Manager, Engr. Chito Onuzuluike as well as notable dignitaries among whom were Nze Dozie Ejikeme, President Obosi Development Union (ODU) Nnewi Branch.
