By CHRISTIAN OGBONNA

The Federal Government on Wednesday says it will provide assistance for 50 unemployed graduates in Ebonyi to establish their own businesses.

Mallam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo, Director-General, National Directorate of Employment (NDE) stated this during the official flag-off of FG’s Enterprise and Finance Counseling Clinic training in Abakaliki.

Nuhu-Fikpo, represented by NDE Coordinator in Ebonyi, Mr Marcel Igboanude, said that the five-day training was captured under the Directorate’s Department of Small-Scale Enterprises (SSE).

He said that the training sought to guide the participants in their choices of business ideas and give a solid business management training that would instill in them self-confidence in managing their chosen business venture successfully.

“The targets of the programme are graduates, school leavers and artisans. It also aims to build up the confidence of first-timers to overcome business failures.

“The training will teach them the steps on how to write bankable feasibility reports as well as exposing them to available sources of funding facilities,” he explained.

Also, Director of the SSE Department, Mr Sunday Apakasa, called on beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity rather than wait for white-collar jobs.

Apakasa, represented by a staff of the Department, Mrs Augustina Chilaka, said that at the end of the training, participants would present a feasibility report, hence the need to pay attention during classes.

“I urge you to attend all five days of the training because if you do, you will be grateful that you did,” Apakasa advised.

One of the participants, Mr Christiantus Alo, thanked FG and NDE, in particular, for the opportunity and pledged to effectively utilize lessons from the training.

“We are deeply grateful, we hope to fly so high and I believe that the sky will be our starting point,” Alo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five-day event ends on Saturday, March 5. (NAN)

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