FROM: LarryBravo Nwaiwu, Enugu

The Enugu State government has moved to match words with actions in its avowed commitment to reducing the poverty headcount index in the state through empowerment programmes.

This was evident on Wednesday during the flag-off of the first batch of the Enugu State Sustainable Economic Empowerment Programme, E-SEEP, with over 200 participants, held at the Enugu South Local Government secretariat in Uwani, Enugu.

The duration of the first batch of the programme is between six weeks and two months, depending on the vocational skill of choice of the patricipants.

Declaring the programme open, the state governor, Dr Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, charged the participants to take the opportunity seriously in order to become employers of labour in the next two years.

He said the state government was making huge efforts to unlock the inner potentials of the people, assuring that his administration would continue to initiate policies and programmes aimed at improving the living standards of the people.

Earlier, the focal person and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals,, SDGs Onyinye Akubuilo-Okpalanma said E-SEEP is a robust programme designed to train each of the participants on one vocational skill, entrepreneurial skill, financial literacy skill and digital marketing skill.

She said the participants, majority of who were selected from the state unemployment register domiciled with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, would also benefit from six months post-training business mentoring by experts in their chosen vocational fields.

While stating that the batch one participants consisted of 70% women and physically challenged persons, the focal person said the programme is sponsored by the Enugu State Government and is  100% free for all participants