By Emeka Williams
Nigeria’s self built energy expert, renewable energy promotion professional, researcher, social commentator and Managing Director, Prince AdeS Oke Int’l Ventures, Prince Okedele Timothy, who is also a beneficiary of the pre-requisite empowerment Training for micro entrepreneurs loan scheme of Ekiti state designed by the Gov. Fayemi led government has said, penultimate week,that Fayemi’s government has shown a great capacity in the area of economic renewal of the state.
Okedele who spoke after receiving the certificate of the scheme from the Director-General, Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA),EKITI State,Otunba Kayode Fasae, stressed that Gov. Fayemi has set machinery in motion to ameliorate the plights of the sons and daughters of Ekiti state, even those of the micro investors in the state;emphasising that as a Nigerian who had been in the business of promoting Agro, security, environment, new renewable and technologies of new alternative power engineering in Nigeria for over a decade, no govt, federal, state or local had in the last ten years,shown the leadership commitment to enhance the living standard of the people like Fayemi is presently doing,
Pointing that the best thing to have happened to Ekiti people in recent times is the emergence of Gov. Fayemi, who is burning with the will, passion and know-how to change the socio-economic matrix of the citizens.
“I was moved to tears the day I was handed my Enterprise Development Training Certificate, the certification for the govt sponsored training to improve the capacity of micro business owners of Ekiti and qualify them to be beneficiaries of the empowerment loan meant to accord the people a new lease of life ” Okedele said.
Continuing,Okedele said that it is a huge challenge for other governors,not just in the south west, but across the country, that Gov. Fayemi’s agency has been mandated with a task to train 4000 entrepreneurs to qualify for different categories of loans to boost their businesses,and currently 2500 have been duly trained and certified; a project which cost Ekiti govt #25,000 per trainee.
As a mark of appreciation, Okedele promised to support the scheme with free consultancy services on how the loan beneficiaries can get energy to light,protect and power their businesses for success;stressing that power is key to business success. He called on well meaning Ekiti citizens at home and in the diaspora to join forces with the Governor to build the state.He expressed delight that soon all the beneficiaries of MEDA’s empowerment initiative become employers of labour and offer good employment to reduce unemployment drastically,apart from meeting personal needs.
Okedele however used this medium to appreciate the dedication and commitment of the Hon. Commissioner for Infrastructural and public utilities, Hon. Engr. Bamidele Faparusi for also playing a pivotal role in achieving some of the cardinal objectives of governor Fayemi by advocating industrial development and the promotion of alternative source of energy which are the drving factors for industrial advancement cum productivity enhancement.
He also gave kudos to the Managing Director/CEO of EGI, Prince AJISEFINI AYODEJI who in order to complete its obligations stood firm to provide pratical post training services to complement the spirited effort of Otunba Kayode Fasae ,DG MEDA in making sure that his office achieves the madate of the Governor to train 4000 entrepreneurs to be self employed and employers of labour.
