AKURE – GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, has given a sum of N50m to artisan group in the state to enable an expansion in their vocational activities. Akeredolu, who spoke recently at the 2019 Artisans’ Day celebration, Ondo State branch, said his administration was highly committed to creating an enabling environment for the artisans to thrive in the state. Akeredolu He maintained that the ultimate goal of his administration was to support the generation of significant number of vocational jobs for the teeming youths in the state. The N50m loan given by the State Micro Credit Agency as directed by Governor Akeredolu is expected to serve the artisan community in areas of training, expansion of their activities among others. Governor Akeredolu added that power was critical to the activities of artisans, while revealing that his administration was harnessing efforts of all stakeholders in the sector to ensure that power supply to Akure the state capital and indeed the entire state enjoys significant improvement. He said: “Artisanship is the way to go in this dispensation. We enjoin our teeming youths to learn vocations. We will strive to collaborate with all stakeholders to emplace and implement programmes that will boost the productivity of our artisans across the State. “I enjoin you to step up your skills in order to be able to compete favourably in the global space. The quality of your products must be able to stand the test of time like their counterparts across the world. “Our youths must shun the proclivity for get-rich-quick that is now pervasive in our society. Let me state unequivocally that we shall continue to create an enabling environment for the sector to thrive in our State and for every individual to engage in lawful businesses without let or hindrance. “We all know that power is critical to your activities. To this end, we are harnessing the efforts of all stakeholders in the sector to ensure that power supply to Akure the State capital and indeed the entire State enjoys significant improvement. “The sector should not be seen as an area which is meant for illiterates; rather it should be seen as businesses for serious minded skilled people which are capable of creating massive employment and income generation for our dear State.
“It should be noted that in other parts of the world, artisans are a major source of employers of labour. They are expected to contribute a high percentage to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).” Reacting to the state government’s gesture, the President-General of the state artisan group, Akomolafe Daisi thanked Governor Akeredolu for supporting the group with funds. He pledged that the funds would be utilized mainly for the purpose it was released for. Akomolafe, who lauded Akeredolu’s giant strides in all sectors of the state, reiterates the group’s commitment to support the administration for the overall good of the state. He said: “Successes recorded across all sectors of government in the state are commendable and rare. The governor has indeed transformed the state into an hub of vocational activities, this is in a bid to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.” Akomolafe therefore advised youths of the state to embrace vocational studies to reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country.

source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/akeredolu-gives-n50m-to-ondo-artisans-for-expansion-of-vocational-vork/