A young vibrant, energetic and business oriented 2027 Benue governorship hopeful Dr. Ater Simon has taken a proactive approach to empowering 23,000 youth, 1,000 in each of the 23 local governments of the state by launching an initiative focused on Bar Soap Production, Paint Production, Liquid Fertilizer Production, Nails / Eyes Lashes Fixing, and Cake Baking. The ambitious project, backed by a substantial investment of 500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira), aims to equip young individuals with the skills and resources (Start-up Capital) necessary to become self-sufficient entrepreneurs.
This initiative is a brain child of ATER SIMON FOUNDATION which has also in recent times sent many youth abroad under his Educational Scholarship Scheme.
The essence of this initiative includes:
1. Youth Empowerment: Equip young individuals with the skills, capital and knowledge required to start and run their own businesses.
2. Promote Entrepreneurship: Foster a culture of entrepreneurship among the youth, encouraging them to become job creators rather than job seekers and over dependence government.
3. Curb Insecurity and Economic Growth: Actively engage Youth in productive activities rather than thuggery and other societal crimes, contribute to the local economy by creating new businesses and job opportunities.
4. Self-Sufficiency: Enable young people to become self-sufficient and financially independent.
This initiative has already commenced last week in Ushongo local government by certified Trainers carefully selected from top-tier manufacturing companies in Lagos and Abuja. Currently, they are in Konshisha local government and it is expected that, the training sessions take an average of three (3) days in each local government.
In order to enable the state to achieve her full economic potential, the initiative will dwell on the following components such as:
1.Training and Capacity Building: Provide comprehensive training on bar soap production, paint production, cake baking, liquid fertilizer production nails / lashes fixing, covering topics such as raw material sourcing, production techniques, marketing, and financial management.
2. Equipment and Start-up Capital: Supply participants with the necessary equipment and start-up capital to start their businesses.
3.Mentorship and Support: Offer ongoing mentorship and support to help participants overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
4.Access to Finance: Provide access to finance and funding options to enable participants to scale their businesses.
BENEFITS OF THE INITIATIVE
The initiative is expected to have numerous benefits, including: Job creation, contribution to the local economy through the creation of new businesses and industries, youth empowerment, skill development etc.
The 2027 governorship hopeful’s initiative to empower 23,000 youth is a commendable effort to promote entrepreneurship and economic growth. With a significant investment of 500,000,000, the initiative has the potential to transform the lives of young individuals and contribute to the development of the local economy.
