As we all know, no country can thrive without Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as they are the engine room of the country’s economy, this is because they support the usage of local raw materials, create jobs and require little or no formal education for their day-to-day operations.
Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD) have announced their initiative to train 30,000 youth on leadership skills for MSMEs, in line with the ever evolving global trends.
This announcement was made by the Acting Director General, Oluremi Sola-Philips who when speaking to the press from his office on Thursday July 1st 2021, stated that the agency is fulfilling its desire to train as many young Nigerians as possible, in robust leadership skills that will have a direct impact on business growth, youth inclusion in governance and personal development.
Making reference to a financial expert, Ugochukwu Chris-Aladun, it is said that 80 percent of MSMEs in Nigeria fail within the first five years of their existence due to lack of prerequisite skills and other wrong business practices. Hence, the need to equip our youth with leadership skills to assist them in thriving in their businesses and the world at large.
Young people have over the last decade amplified their clamour for inclusion in governance and social development. CLTC under the administration of the current Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare is rolling out extensive plans to train young persons in a very important area that is constantly overlooked.
The training having Linus Okorie and Ozoemena Chukwu as guest speakers will speak to personal character development while addressing a number of individual mindsets that cause a decline in business growth. It will also prepare the young persons for leadership positions in government and civil society.
This initiative can be considered as timely as the world came together a few weeks ago to celebrate the United Nations designated MSMEs day on the 20th June, 2021 and we have seen an increase in young people of Nigeria yearning for positions in government.
The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare also reiterated his desire to ensure that the Citizenship and Leadership Academy is grooming our young person to take over. He stated that “It is said that youth are the leaders of tomorrow, I’ve said it repeatedly since I became Minister, that yes, the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, but now, in this political construct, the youth are now leaders starting today. And unless you start being leaders now, in your communities, professional groups and places of work, you cannot just one day wake up as a leader, you must learn the ropes”.
The training would take place virtually on the 8th July, 2021.
