Beneficiaries of the Skill Acquisition programme of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Wednesday paid a ‘Thank You’ visit to the governor at the Government House for transforming their lives for better.
The jubilant beneficiaries, were among the 750 trainees, who are now chief executives of their various businesses, after they were assisted with N100,000 seed money each by the state government early this year, upon attending a one-year free vocational training in focal areas such as Tailoring, Hairdressing, Haircut and Aluminum works apprenticeship.
Converging on the Government House Enugu, the empowered residents of the state, among who are non-indigenes, said “we have come to say thank you for putting smiles on our faces”.
The self-employed beneficiaries stated that they “have shaken off the cloak of despondency and dependency” through the governor’s empowerment programme, expressing joy that “we have been transformed into the prestigious ranks of chief executives of various businesses and viable money making establishments”.
They disclosed that prior to the programme, most of them “were merely marking time, depending dangerously on our parents, older siblings and neighbours for money to buy things as minor as soap to take our baths”, saying that today, they have not only been empowered by Gov. Ugwuanyi’s generosity, but most of them have become employers of labour”.
Speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Tochi Aboh, disclosed that “as I speak, two formerly unemployed indigenes of Enugu State are busy attending to customers in my shop”.
According to her, “instead of begging for money to sustain myself, some of my friends who did not have the fortune of benefitting from the widely celebrated Gburugburu generosity, now pass through my shop to ask for transport money to scout for employment”.
They therefore, prayed for Gov. Ugwuanyi and unanimously pledged to rally support for the governor’s re-election in 2019 and his political ambition beyond 2023 “so as to be able to touch more lives the way you touched ours”.
Responding, Gov. Ugwuanyi, who welcomed the elated beneficiaries to the Government House, told them that “it is God that has done this favour to you”.
While expressing delight that their narrative has changed for good, the governor assured them that more people will be empowered, stressing that the visit has motivated his administration to do more.
He therefore, urged them to continue to pray for the success of his administration for the people to enjoy more democracy dividends.
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