The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has said that the equipping of the teeming youths with the requisite entrepreneurial skills for economic self-reliance is a necessity and always a priority to the Buhari Administration.
He stated this at the opening ceremony of the National Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit 2019, as part of the build up to the Presidential Inauguration and Democracy DAY at the International Conference Center (ICC), Abuja.
The SGF said that “any nation that ignores its youthful population, does so at its peril; noting that “it is the fastest way to eroding the lot of the immediate future generation.”
Mustapha stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration believes very strongly in its teeming youth population, hence the two major pillars of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which are central to human capital development and rapid industrialization through promotion and creation of enabling environment for SMEs are focused on.
According to him, “National Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit was carefully crafted to encourage entrepreneurship and birthing of new businesses as well as creating enabling environment where budding entrepreneurs and start-up businesses can showcase innovative and viable products and services; provide a platform for interface with top government officials responsible for youth intervention programmes; and provide them with small grants as start-up and budding capital.”
SGF also said that the focus on the economy of Buhari’s administration is driven by various pillars of national development, which includes the need to intentionally invest in the entrepreneurial capacity of the average Nigerian. He noted that the challenge most people face is that they lack sufficient knowledge, skills and financial ability to translate their entrepreneurial dreams to reality.
In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Mr. Gabriel Aduda, expressed his gratitude to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, for government’s vision to train the critical mass of the youth with the aim to take them away from the streets.
The Empowerment programme which is for a three-day event, is being supported by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneur, The Jimi Tewe and Eventti Planners respectively.
At the end of the event, 10 youths would be empowered with the sum of One Million Naira each as well as mentoring for a year and various start-up packs.
Olusegun Ogunkayode
Senior Information Officer
