Nassarawa State Government Holds Pre-retirement Skills Training For Civil Servant

The Civil Servants in Nasarawa State who had served for 35 years or turned 60 years as required by the law have lauded the state government for organising a pre-retirement skills and entrepreneurship training to empower them for a life after service.

The civil servants stated this on Thursday at the closing ceremony of a two-week skills and entrepreneurship training for over 69 civil servants about to retire from service.

They were trained on Livestock Production, Auto Mechanic, Electrical Installation, Leather Works, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Cosmetology, Tailoring and Fashion Design and Baking, Pastries and Confectionary at the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute Lafia.

Mr. Abubakar Umar, lauded the state Governor Abdullahi Sule for the initiative, which was first of its kind to expose retiring civil servants to different skills that would make thier lives meaningful after retirement.

Mr. Umar added that they have acquired skills in different areas of their choice and the experience and knowledge gained was indeed huge within just two weeks.

“We were taken through the practical rudiments of our choice areas by the facilitators during the two weeks intensive training.

“We cannot thank the governor enough as being the first set ever in the history of the state to be trained ahead of our retirement so that we will still be productive in the next phase of life,” he noted

Also, Mr. Sunday Magaji who learned leather works, said he never knew he could learn and do a lot within just two weeks.

He explained that everyone of them had produced one product or the other and urged the public to patronize them as their sandals and bags are of  highly quality.

Startup pack

He however, appealed to the state government to provide them with a startup pack to enable them set up their shops for businesses immediately after retirement from active service.

Also, Mrs. Juliana Kuju, another participant commended the government for the opportunity to learn skills but appealed that the exercise should be extended to three months for subsequent beneficiaries.

Mrs. Kuju also used the medium and appealed to the state government to give the beneficiaries of the training their entitlements immediately after retirement to enable them use it to set up their businesses.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Training Institute, Dr. Daniel Ewuga, commended the government for establishing the place and funding it for optimal performance.

Ewuga, explained that the initiative was aimed at providing employable and entrepreneurship skills to civil servants who have few months to retire from active government service.

According to him, “It would go a long way to address the challenges that are associated with the retirement phase of life, reduce poverty and create wealth,”.

Mr. Ewuga,, therefore encouraged the beneficiaries to set up their shops to prove to the world that the two weeks of training were not a waste.

Also, Nasarawa State, Acting Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya, congratulated the beneficiaries for humbling themselves despite their ranks as senior government officials to learn one skill or the other.

Abigail Waya, added that she was amazed at the products that were made by the trainees within two weeks and encouraged them to set up businesses after retirement.

“You could start a business of your choice in your parlor or anywhere in your house if you do not have money to rent a shop.

“If you start your own business or trade, it would take away the fear of retirement, keep them healthy and make them unavailable for the devil to use because they will not be idle,” she added.

Abigail Waya therefore, assured them that the government would still supervise, guide and support them when they set up their businesses to enable them to succeed.

Olusola Akintonde