The Governor, State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola has launched the state’s post COVID-19 economic intervention pilot programme.
The programme will see government disbursing a whopping sum of N100million to 2,000 beneficiaries for the pilot phase of the programme after undergoing Entrepreneurial Development Training.
The initiative was aimed at mitigating the negative impact of the global Coronavirus pandemic on the economy and augment the means of livelihood of the citizens.
Launching the Programme at the Industrial Development Centre, Osogbo, Oyetola said the initiative was conceptualised to reposition the economy which had become weak due to the pandemic, to path of growth, development and prosperity.
He added the adminstration decided on an economic strategy to generate 15,000 direct jobs annually through the intervention programme as the scheme would also help to engender socioeconomic and commercial development.
Oyetola who affirmed the capacity of the scheme to rejuvenate the state’s economy, noted that the strategy would strengthen industrialisation, commerce and investment while also enhancing Human Capital Development as part of the State’s economic repositioning strategy for those that might be negatively affected by the lockdown.
The Governor regretted that the pandemic had greatly affected the resources of the world, the nation and, by extension, the State of Osun, as well as the socio-economic activities of the people.
He disclosed that before the COVID-19 pandemic, his administration had been working on making acquisition of vocational skills a priority in the 2020 budget as a way of providing solutions to the raging crass youth unemployment.
In his welcome remark, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperative and Empowerment, Dr. Bode Olanipekun disclosed that Governor Oyetola, in ensuring that the people live a better life, had conceived the programme since the beginning of the year even before COVID-19 reached Nigeria.
He assured that the programme would be helpful to the people, as the Bank of Industry has agreed to sponsor entrepreneurial development training through Small and Medium Enterprises Development (SMEDAN).
Also speaking, the Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye expressed hope that the initiative would make a huge positive impact in the lives of the people of the State. He commended Mr. Governor for making the life more bearable for the people of Osun.
In her own remarks, the Commissioner for Human Resources and Capacity Building, Alhaja Lateefat Giwa disclosed that Governor Oyetola had approved similar programme for the ministry.
According to her, no fewer than “150 men and women, including people with disabilities will be trained on entrepreneurship. We thank Mr. Governor for supporting her Ministry to build the capacity of the citizens.”
In the same vein, the State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Gboyega Famodun appreciated the Governor for making the party proud.
He enjoined the people of Osun to ensure that their children acquire one skill or another in addition to western education as it will enable them to survive in the wake of increasing unemployment rate in the country.