Felix Ikem, Nsukka

An entrepreneur based in Nsukka, Enugu State, recently conducted a free training programme for more than 500 youths in the state on vocational skills acquisition.

Mr. Chidebere Ugwu, managing director and chief executive officer of Standard View Clothing Company Nigeria, said he embarked on the humanitarian exercise to help reduce youth unemployment and ensure economic development of the country.

Speaking during the 2018 graduation of the centre, Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice in Enugu State, Chief Melitus Ezugworie, lauded Ugwu’s dexterity and zeal, adding that he had given the youthful beneficiaries a sense of belonging in the area of skills acquisition and empowerment.

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According to Ezugworie, skills acquisition was part of the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s policies on poverty alleviation and youth empowerment. He said it was more profitable for youths to acquire skills in different vocations.

Said he: “Skills acquisition forms the bedrock of youth empowerment in the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

What we are doing here today is to key into the four-point agenda of this government by way of giving our youths a sense of belonging and skills with a view to contributing to the economic development of Enugu State in particular and Nigeria in general. We appreciate the efforts of Chidebere Ugwu for taking this giant stride.

In a chat with Daily Sun, Ugwu said he decided to give back to society and assist in reducing youth unemployment at the centre where shoes and clothes are made.

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Ugwu said he did not have any government support but he was ready to welcome any partnership with government. He stated that the cost of equipment was on the rise and called on government to help bring prices of goods down.

“We started this training in 2016 and ever since then we have been able to train over 500 persons. We plan to train 1,000 persons next year,” he said.

Ugwu, who studied Archaeology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said he got the inspiration for tailoring from his mother, a seamstress. He added that he received additional training in China and then decided to come to Nigeria to impart the knowledge on the youths with a view to creating job opportunities.

“We are trying to see if we can link our graduands with the Bank of Industry with a view to giving them soft loans to buy some, if not all, the equipment for production.

“I am by this instance soliciting government’s financial assistance in procurement of some of these equipment both for my academy and that of my graduands because I know that this will go a long way in reducing unemployment in our society,” he said.

Ugwu said lack of power was a major challenge affecting the centre, as it has been quite epileptic. One of the graduands, Mr. Ifeanyi Eze from Ovoko, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, said he had been able to acquire skills that would make him an employer of labour and not a job seeker.

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Another graduand, Miss Chinelo Eze from Ohodo, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, also expressed happiness and gratitude over the philanthropic gesture of the organisation. She declared that she had learnt some skills that would make her become a useful member of society.

The beneficiaries, it was gathered, were in three batches: 2016, 2017 and 2018, and were all trained in different skills.