Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has offered a sum of N2 million each to 500 entrepreneurs who are into street hawking in different parts of the country as part of steps to improve human empowerment of the people.
He gave the money to beneficiaries at the flagging off of the first batch of the state skills acquisition programme.
This was on Tuesday at Ochiudo Centenary City Secretariat, Abakaliki.
The Governor assured that his administration was ready to tackle the menace of employment and empowerment of the people across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Nwifuru called for urgent need for skills acquisition, noting that the state centre for skills development was open for the people to learn.
He said: “It is very necessary to help our youth to grow.
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“We have created the skill acquisition development centre for our youth to learn in order to be able to put food on their tables.
“On this note, let me do justice to what we are here today.
“I, therefore flag off the skill acquisition programme in the state, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Soly spirit.
“Amen.”
Offia Nwali, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, said the beneficiaries, who are currently undergoing training in different skills, were into hawking in different parts of the country.
Nwali said: “The programme targeted 1,500 Ebonyi indigenes, but we are starting today with 500 for the first batch.
“So, we are doing it batch by batch.
“The beneficiaries have started receiving their money and the Governor has asked anybody that did not get the alert to call him on the phone, beginning from today, Tuesday.”