Against the backdrop of the aftermath of COVID-19 that ravaged the entire world in 2020 and the subsequent lockdown stemming from precarious economic recession, the need to redirect and exploit other areas of human engagements has become germane.

For the National Productivity Centre (NPC) and its clamour for a productive society, the need for reorientation, redesigning and reordering as well as exploiting other forms of engagements led to the rejuvenation of entrepreneurial skill and capacity building in Nigeria across board.

Therefore, with double-edged negative consequences brought about by COVID-19 and the subsequent economic recession, and the need to also mitigate the general situations with double-edged solutions, brought about the invention of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to address unemployment, poverty, and inequality, as well as create avenues for possible engagements that will preclude rural-urban migration as well as create useful engagements.

The positive development with NPC taking the lead is evidenced in the pilot schemes of its entrepreneurial and skill development across the states, with Kogi State as one of the beneficial states.

The rejigged trend will address idleness, indolence, forestall social problems, create gainful employment opportunities and economic security in the country.

With two days training programs that acquainted beneficiaries across the state on the rudiments of soap making, Vaseline, cream, Dettol, insecticides and others will create useful engagements to many Nigerians.

This laudable program powered by the NPC will relieve many Nigerians of the dire consequences of post COVID-19 and economic somersault, as well as open up another vista of engagement outlets for the populace.

The global approach to entrepreneurial development and capacity building inculcated into the curriculum of University education world over, embraced by NPC, is geared towards bringing to the barest minimum the scourge of lack of employment, not only by artisans and unschooled in the society, but graduates of various disciplines in Nigeria.

The training aside developing their capacity will also challenge local contents in the area of resources and materials available locally in various states for mass production of various items locally.

It is also capable of harnessing more entrepreneurial explosion as the program will be based on trainees transfer of experience/local technology among villages, communities and areas across the environment.

The CSR is also initiated by the NPC is a template of giving back to the society through provision of critical infrastructure like water, light, roads, hospitals, schools and other societal needs.

These two templates embarked upon by NPC at this critical time of our national life was a patriotic disposition of public officials whose intention is the welfare of the society and environment at large.

The people-oriented programmes, when galvanized and sustained across the country, will not only address the dearth of underdevelopment, joblessness but also encourage sustainable development in Nigeria.

With pilot schemes in some states including Kogi, with Ankpa that benefited from both electricity transformers and solar powered security lights, both in Ankpa and its environs with gradual spread to other parts of the state and across the country, was a right step in the right direction.

Efforts should be geared towards communal services by maintaining the infrastructure provided through CSR to the communities by NPC, so as to reduce the incidence of vandals in various locations.

It will amount to an exercise in futility, when vandals are allowed to overrun the facilities, as the aims and objectives will be defeated that will further exposed the areas to more security threats.

•Abubakar Yusuf writes from Abuja.

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