The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has trained One thousand young people in the GSM phone repair, hardware, software and entrepreneurship development.
Besides the 20 days intensive training for the young people, the agency at a graduation ceremony held in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, distributed starter packs and N125 thousand take off grant to the trainees during the event.
Two of the beneficiaries, Mr. Etta Mbe and Ruth Otu from Biase and Calabar South local government areas, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Government and the lawmaker for fulfilling the promise to create employment opportunities for those unemployed.
Mbe said, “I am grateful and excited to be one of the beneficiaries of this gesture of the Nigerian Government; while Otu said, “I am privileged to be one of those receiving this gift for me to start up my own business”.
Boosting wellbeing of Nigerians
The facilitator of the programme and member representing Bekwara/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Mr. Legor Idagbo said that the decision to attract the training to the central and southern district was for the wellbeing and welfare of the people.
Idagbo noted, “I commend the Executive Secretary of the board for this novel initiative. This project did not start in Cross River, it has been held elsewhere and I appealed to the board to bring the same to Cross River.
“I first held this in my constituency where 300 people benefitted and I saw the impact of the programme on the livelihood of the beneficiaries and decided to extend the programme to the entire state without any political consideration and make sure our youths, one thousand of them are taken off the streets to become entrepreneurs and contribute meaningfully to society and increase the GDP of Cross River State,” Idagbo stated.
Exploring Telecoms Sector
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr. Simbi Wabote said the empowerment programme has trained 4,000 youths previously in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe and Cross River States and soon, Bayelsa State.
Wabote disclosed that the board introduced what he described as “End-to-End thinking model to enhance monitoring of the beneficiaries as well as provide further guidance until their businesses were stabilized.
Justifying the focus of the training on telecommunications and ICT, Wabote hinted that due to the growth of mobile technology, which has become indispensable for many and Nigeria’s expanding telecommunication sector since 2002 to date, the industry was more viable for income generation.
“Nigeria has a total of 195 million subscribers to the different networks with about 56 million mobile phones. Also, the Nigerian Government launch of the 5G technology a few weeks ago has strengthened the back bone.” he stated.
He urged the beneficiaries to utilize the facilities provided rather than sell the equipment to the highest bidder, which would negate the objective of the programme designed to enhance better living conditions.
Tax Exemption
In a brief remark, the governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, who was represented by his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu announced a tax exemption of Three years for the One thousand new entrepreneurs as part of efforts to ensure stability and growth of their businesses.
“We are giving you 3 years tax exemption. The State will protect you from multiple taxations. We will also enable you to access additional funds from other government funding agencies and partners. All we need from all of you is to keep your own side of the bargain to be independent and employers of labour in future,” he stressed.
The beneficiaries, who are 55 percent women and 45 percent men were drawn from the 15 local government areas that constitute the central and northern senatorial districts in Cross River State.
Confidence Okwuchi
