The Governor of Delta State, Senator, Dr. Ifeanyi
Okowa has assured the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO) of partnership in the area of entrepreneurship and skill acquisition in
line with his administration’s job and wealth creation programme.
Governor Okowa who gave the assurance
yesterday (20-1-16) in Asaba when he played host to Mr. Phillippe Scholtes,
Managing Director, Programmes Development and Technical Cooperation Division,
UNIDO Headquarters and his team said that there were various areas the state
government would like to partner with UNIDO in creating job and wealth for its
teeming youths aside the shoe and leather works production which has reached
advanced stage between the UNIDO and the Delta State government.
He stated that the state government was ready
to also, partner with UNIDO in the area of agro-business, especially
aqua-culture, palm and cassava production and processing.
‘’We
will co-operate with you beyond what we are doing now; we hope to partner with
you in the area of Agriculture especially, in the production and processing of
cassava, palm and aqua-culture where we have comparative advantages,” he said,
adding, “we believe that we must find ways of re-orientating our youths to make
them embrace agriculture and skill acquisition as means of creating jobs and
wealth.’’
He
reiterated, ‘’as Nigeria population grows, there is the need to make sure that
the people acquire skills that will make them job and wealth creators.’’
Senator
Okowa commended UNIDO for its industrialization programmes stating that, they
were in line with his administration’s SMART agenda of job and wealth creation.
He
observed that UNIDO has laudable programmes aimed at empowering the people
which his administration would key into.
Earlier
in their separate addresses, Mr. Scholtes, Aurelia Calabro-Bellamoli (Senior
industrial Officer, UNIDO) and Mr. Jesse Ojobor explained that UNIDO is a
specialized agency of United Nations that provide technical services to
government to ensure an inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.
While
stating that they were in Asaba to facilitate the early take off of the shoe
and leather manufacturing centre, Issele-Uku, they commended Governor Okowa for
his desire to empower the people through the prosperity agenda, noting that
there were other areas they could partner with the state government for speedy
sustainable development of the state.
‘’Delta
State Leather and Foot wear Production Centre is the biggest in sub-sahara
Africa with a capacity to train 3,000 people annually and produce high quality
products for the sub-sahara African Market; we are enthused by the Governor’s
interest in empowering the people,” they emphasised.
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