Osinbajo’s Visit: Kaduna has highest number of youth in Nigeria – Governor
*Says MSMEs have grown his people’s economy, created employment
*Vice President commend el-Rufai, TraderMoni spreads to state
*This TraderMoni will grow our trade a lot, beneficiaries laud FG
Our Correspondent
Governor of Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, said on Thursday that his state has the highest number of youth in Nigeria.
Speaking further, Governor el-Rufai said the state has 80 percent of its population below the age of 40.
He stated this at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Kaduna while playing host to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who visited the state for the 20th Edition of the MSME Clinics.
According to the governor, the Kaduna State is determined to provide quality affordable education, access to trainings and job opportunities working hand-in-hand with the Federal Government towards attracting partners and investors.
He said the Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state have played a vital role in the promotion of economic growth, the creation of employment opportunities and the increase in productivity.
Kaduna State Government with its initiatives has created various skills acquisition and job creation that have helped to achieve Kaduna ICT Hub, which was designed to create an enabling environment specifically to cater for startups digital literacy with emerging technologies.
“The Kaduna Startup Entrepreneurship Program (KADSTEP), was designed to create an environment that will boost small businesses and start ups thereby increasing economic activities for young men and women in the state.
“The Kaduna Electrical, Electronics and Energy Academy (KADEEEA), is designed to train and provide jobs for youths in the renewable energy sector, the state has three solar energy power and there would be a need for technicians in the sector to interact, mentor and be mentored.
“The Kaduna Artisans Training Initiative (KADAT), is to provide a very high qualitative and sustainable artisan skill training and apprenticeship in the construction sector in the state using a curriculum that has more realistic.
“The Kaduna Stanbic Entrepreneurship Centre (KADSEC), is designed to engaged and fund Agropreneneurs who are interested in agricultural processing and to increase the number of scale of high growth enterprises that are creating economic growth, innovation and quality job in the state.
“The Kaduna State Women Empowerment Fund (KADSWEF), is a N200m Loan Facilities for Women MSMEs and Petty traders in the state in order to provide financial and economic inclusion for female small business owners,” he said.
The governor with the Vice President went round the Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), while they displayed their exhibitions at the venue.
The Vice President commended the state government for a huge success of creating more job opportunities to youths in the state on Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).
In a related development, the inspection of the N10,000 disbursement to the poor in the state, the Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo was accompanied by Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai to Kaduna Central Market to assess the N10,000 collateral and interest free TraderMoni in the state.
The beneficiaries commended the Federal Government for the good initiative that has brought a way forward to them in their small scale businesses.
Both men and women were happy when receiving their N10,000.
Murna Aliyu, a sachet water seller, who spoke on behalf of the women, thanked the state and Federal Government for the gestures to remember the poor in the state.
She said, “this will boost my selling of pure water.”
While going through the market, the Vice President waved, walked and smiled, as traders and other people around showed their appreciation for the goodwill of government towards them.
