The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on Monday began a two-week vocational training for 90 unemployed youths and women in Zamfara.

The agency cautioned the participants to avoid selling of starter kits to be given to them after the training.

Newsmen report that the training is organised under National Business Skills Development Initiative (NBSDI) programme of the agency.

Speaking while opening the training, the Director General of the Agency, Mr Olawale Fasanya, said the programme was taking place in all seven states in the North West.

Fasanya, represented by the Assistant Chief Enterprise Officer, Enterprise Development and Promotion Department of the agency, Mr Ishaq Hamis said the training was one of the SMEDAN activities to facilitate the development of Small and Medium Scales Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

“We learned from many programmes of the agency that after the training the beneficieries sell all the empowerment tools given to them by the agency.

“After this training, we are going to support you with starter kits.

“I am calling on you to avoid selling or misusing them.

“Let’s utilise the equipment to be given to you so that in future you would be able to expand your businesses for you to be employers of labour in future”, The DG SMEDAN said.

He said the programme was aimed at supporting youths that had the initiatives but didn’t have the equipment and resources.

“Following the outcome of the need assessment conducted in this state by the agency, we were able to identify three skills for this training.

“The identified skills were

Tailoring/Fassion Design, Catering Services and Handsets Repairs.

“We were able to select 90 participants from across the 14 local government areas of the state,” he added.

He called on the participants to pay attention and utilise the empowerment tools to be given to them after the training.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Yazid Danfulani, commended the agency for the training.

Danfulani, represented by the Director Industry, Zamfara State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Muntari Garba, said the government welcomed the gesture as it would help in reducing unemployment among youths in the state.

“On behalf of the state government under the leadership of Gov. Bello Matawalle, we are ready to continue to partner with the agency, to promote small and medium scale enterprises in the state,” the Commissioner added.

The Head of Zamfara SMEDAN office, Malam Sanusi Bello, appreciated the agency for organising the training in the state.

Bello noted that the agency had reduced reasonable percentage of unemployment among youths in the state through various initiated programmes.

In a goodwill message, Zamfara State Chairman, National Association of Small Scale Industries, Sanusi Muhammad, said the training would promote production and add value to local products.

Muhammad commended SMEDAN and the state government for their collaboration in building future of the participants.(NAN)