Enugu NDE trains 50 unemployed graduates on entrepreneurship skills

At least 50 unemployed graduates in Enugu State have enrolled for the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) organised Enterprises and Financial Counselling Clinic.

Declaring open the clinic on Wednesday in Enugu, the Director-General of NDE, Mr Abubakar Fikpo, said the programme was designed to counsel the participants on how to choose the type of businesses that suits their skills and competences.

Fikpo, represented by the NDE Coordinator in the state, Chief Donatus Azubuike, said the training would further equip them on proper conceptualisation of their chosen businesses into feasible business ideas.

He also said that the participants would be trained on how to write appropriate business plans.

According to him, the training will expose the participants to do feasibility reports or business plans that will enable them to access funds from lending institutions, such as NIRSAL and Bank of Industry, amongst others.

The NDE boss said that having undergone the training and obtained the certification, the participants not only qualify to secure funds but would have unfettered access to the directorate for counselling on how best to maximise the gains of their chosen businesses.

“Feel free to come to us any time you are faced with any challenge in your business and how to access funds from the lending institutions.

“NDE will assist you to do a worthy feasibility report and workplan,” Fikpo said.

He encouraged the participants to take their training seriously, saying, “To acquire skills remained better than seeking paid jobs”.

Also, a Director from Small Scale Enterprises Department in NDE, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, said the one-week training was important to NDE and moreso for those eager to establish their own businesses but lacked the financial capabilities.

Mohammed said that the programme was cut short in 2016 and expressed joy that it had returned.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was meant to expose participants to the realities of the labour market and encourage them to opt for self-employment rather than paid employment.