ANY REAL HOPE FOR TRUE EMPOWERMENT AS THE SKILLS ACQUISITION AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME FOR VULNERABLE YOUTHS AND WOMEN IN PLATEAU STATE IS SET TO SAIL?

By Nnabugwu Chizoba

My late elder brother, Mr. Emenike Nnabugwu, during his lifetime was a Man full of wise sayings. Among his sayings is “The goal post is at a risk where there are no defenders”. Another of his sayings is “after it is done, it is too late for advice”.

From the above, I learn the importance of teamwork and support, I also understood the value of planning. Till date I have never had any course to regret the lessons. If anything, the lessons have made me to respect teamwork and good planning anywhere I noticed them. They have indeed proven very relevant, reliable and instrumental to any meaningful achievement, I ever attained. It is on this note therefore, that I wish to underscore the efforts of some Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) on the Plateau, who saw the need to come together for a common goal.

 

The aforesaid has become necessary, because there are strong indications that the skills acquisition and empowerment train, designed by a Consortium of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), with the support of the Rescue Government in Plateau State, is set to sail. There are also indications that the programme is designed to accommodate, at least twenty one thousand (21000), vulnerable youths and women in Plateau state. The NGOs revealed.

The empowerment train, is nicknamed “SIMON LALONG EMPOWERMENT SCHEME (SLEMS)”, by the Consortium of NGOs, who laboured to ensure that the project translates from ideas to reality.

The action of the NGOs, in Plateau State is pointing out to both the public and private sectors, not only in Plateau state, but Nigeria, as a whole, that the way to real economic recovery in the Country, is through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

As a force to reckon with, and as a major player and relevant stakeholder in the development agenda of Plateau state, the Non-Governmental Organizations, by my thinking, deserve commendation for their foresight. The beauty of their efforts, essentially is in working together as a team. Any wonder the programme is elaborate and juicy.

The importance to the nation at this critical time, of designing a skills acquisition, economic empowerment and human resource development programme, by NGOs to assist government, in building a strong and virile economy, can never be over emphasized.

Similarly, the government of Plateau State, led by Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, as the Executive Governor must be applauded for supporting the initiative. The action of the Governor, apart from motivating the non-state Actors, is a signal that the government is realizing the need to pull and push together, with the private sector as central and indispensable unit of governance.

By this singular act of support for the PPP initiative, the Government of Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, has demonstrated very clearly, deep interest and support for the private sector. And additionally displayed high sense of regard, commitment, political will and desire to deliberately tap from the abundant skills outside the cycle of political office holders, administrators and power mongers in Plateau state. Any government that fancy collaborating and partnering the private sector, is demonstrating willingness for the wellbeing of citizens’, as well as taking deliberate steps to accelerate economic development. The prayer is for the governor and his cabinet to sustain the tempo.

Governor Simon Bako Lalong has shown the direction he wants his government to go. What is now left is for political office holders and the various power blocks in the state to key in. It is therefore imperative to appeal to all and sundry to support the initiative. Most often than not it is this group that derail efforts and programmes designed to impact the masses.

Speaking briefly about the programme in Jos, the Coordinator of the Simon Lalong Empowerment Scheme (SLEMS), Mr. Godwin Okoko, Country Director Apurimac Onlus, spoke passionately about the Governor’s commitment at ensuring that the project is not derailed. The words of Mr. Okoko, is a call for the state Actors, to rise up and perform the role expected of them. Without this role the SLEMS programme is dead on arrival. Generally speaking, the words of the SLEMS coordinator, represent the thinking of major economic actors, including the active poor, in the state.

That the skills acquisition and empowerment programme, designed to train at least 21000 vulnerable youths and women in various skills across the 17 local government areas of Plateau state, is non-political, non-religious, devoid of ethnic sentiments and biases and also recognizes the urgent need for economic empowerment of women, are encouraging and heartwarming. The real challenge is in implementation.

If implemented as designed, the tendency is, that the army of youths, often used by mischief makers will be reduced, while hunger and poverty will fly from many homes.

In my thinking, the programme as designed and ready to be implemented is reach not just because it is a skills acquisition project, but because of its uniqueness, and capacity to produce distinctive women and youths, ready to take real plunge into business in the very near future.

A little brief about some consortium member organizations, driving the project is necessary to underscore the enthusiasm about the project and quality of the expected output. For example, Apurimac Onlus, a household name, on the Plateau is synonymous with well-structured, well packaged and excellent delivery of training programmes and packages associated with skills acquisition, livelihood and youth and women empowerment programmes. Apurimac Onlus is coordinating the project.

Similarly, ICON Afrique, the NGO known for repositioning the younger generation, through reorientation and inspirational training packages, have over the years, proven to be reliable. The group emphasizes and promotes Integrity, Creativity, Originality and Nobility, (ICON). The group recognize these principles as fundamental to human existence.  

Another group, in the list of NGOs piloting the “SIMON LALONG EMPOWERMENT SCHEME (SLEMS)”, is the “Inclusive friends”, a group with a strong voice and passion for the Physically Challenged. Their regular Advocacy on issues against the Physically Challenged and the presence of mind and character to shape the attitude of the public towards better understanding, protection and voicing out against inequitable representation of the Physically Challenged, is second to none. Anything that confines or relegates the Physically Challenged to begging is strongly resisted by the group.

The Wise Youths Foundation is key in the Consortium. This is because of her activeness in identifying and designing training packages for the purpose of developing, refocusing, exposing, packaging and presenting the downtrodden for meaningful and rewarding engagement in life.

My position is that commitment on both the State and Non-state Actors to deliver the well-intended empowerment package to the masses is key for poverty reduction, unemployment, youth restiveness and insecurity; and necessary for peace, wealth creation and resourcefulness in every ramifications.

To answer the question posed at the topic of this piece, my humble submission is that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the project is implemented successfully. The cry of hunger, destitution, poverty and unemployment in the land is alarming.