Entrepreneurship, panacea for job creation, says Boroh

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd) has said that entrepreneurship remains the driver of every economy, pointing out that “promoting the creativity and innovative capacity of young people by identifying competences and skills acquired through non-formal and informal learning“ enhances their employability.

Speaking during the graduation of 91 amnesty delegates in Warri, Delta State, Boroh, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Colonel Adis Abel (rtd), said an entrepreneurial mindset enhances a young person’s employability, just as entrepreneurship has capacity to open up new markets, improve productivity, create new jobs and wealth.

He therefore urged the ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region to take advantage of the trainings and subsequent business packages and make good use of the opportunities at their disposal as part of the ongoing sustainable reintegration phase of the programme.

Gen. Boroh maintained that Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of any economy, as they represent the most important source of new employment and wealth creation, pointing out that societies that value and reward entrepreneurial behavior, such as calculated risk taking and independent thinking, promote a propensity to develop new solutions to social challenges.

According to Gen. Boroh, his office will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region are sustainably reintegrated through provision of sustainable livelihood opportunities for the beneficiaries, with a view to setting up small businesses for them as they eventually exit the programme.

While commending the trainees for their discipline and good conduct throughout the training period, the Amnesty boss noted that the delegates stand out among their peers because of their exceptional good behavior and self-discipline.

He used the occasion to call on aggrieved youths in the region to embrace peace through dialogue, saying that dialogue would bring about a win-win situation to all parties in a conflict and that war does no one any good, just as there can be no meaningful development without peace.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Glassfa Intercontinental Limited, Evangelist Samson Fetimi (JP) had commended the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for his innovative ideas and sincerity of purpose in effectively and efficiently carrying out his assignment of reintegrating ex-agiators through various vocational training programmes since he assumed office.

He said so far his company has empowered 91 delegates from the Amnesty office, informing that the beneficiaries were excited that the Amnesty office has trained them in business skills and subsequently empowered them by giving them start up packages.

Responding on behalf beneficiaries, Mr. Olotu Kurobo, 32yrs, thanked the Federal Government for the business initiative where delegates are given such opportunities to pick areas of interest after undergoing training on entrepreneurship and given startup packs to set up businesses, assuring that they would make good use of the opportunity.

High point of the event was the presentation of business registration certificate from the Corporate Affairs Commission to the beneficiary

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja