… As Governor’s Wife Empower Some Of The Outstanding
No fewer than One Thousand and Eighty-Three (1,083) Nigerians yesterday graduated from the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) youth church free Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme in Calabar, Cross River state.
In a goodwill message at the occasion, the Mega Regional Overseer, MFM, Cross River state, Pastor Ekone Micheal, said the skills acquired were not just to earn a living, but to also fulfil divine purpose.
National Compass reports that the two (2) week intensive training cuts across several fields of human endeavor including baking, cosmetology, barbing, ICT, shoe/leather works among others.
Further checks by our correspondent indicated that some female muslim faithful, who participated in the baking and confectionery classes, were part of the 2024 graduates.
While exhorting the graduates on the topic ‘Igniting Purpose and Empowerment Change’, the MRO urged them to see the training beyond an academic exercise, noting that it was a gift from God.
Ekone, who described the training as a stepping stone towards achieving greater purpose in life, admonished the participants to steer up the skills acquired.
“This achievement is not only a testament of your hard work and determination, but it is also a stepping stone towards fulfilling a greater purpose for your life.
“The training is not merely about passing out today, but also a divine plan that God has ordained for your life. The skills that you have acquired are not just to earn a living, but it is going to be used as an instrument to fulfill God’s plan for your lives’, the minister stated in part.
Earlier, in a pep talk, the former zonal Co-ordinator, National Productivity Centre (NPC), Cross River state office, Mr. Joseph Bankole, urged the graduates not to despise the days of their little beginning as they venture into business.
In a presentation entitled ‘Your business and your productivity’, he said every serious minded entrepreneur should be willing, ready and able to start small and grow bigger in business.
The former NPC boss emphasized the need for good character towards an effective business management, adding that wisdom, knowledge, strategy as well as diligence were also required to sustain one’s business.
According to Bankole, who is also a senior minister in the MFM, “Go beyond the call of duty, do extra things that will make a buyer become a potential customer.
“The training you have had will not retain you in the market, but your level of productivity and character will.”
In his remark, the minister in charge of the youth church, Pastor James Obok, said the scheme started small in 2015, but has grown over the years into a huge success with the current rising number of graduates.
He disclosed that a total of One Thousand and Eighty-Three (1,083) Nigerians participated in the 2024 edition of the programme, spanning various skills set.
However, he noted that due to limited resources only Four Hundred and Fifty-Eight (458) persons were resettled by the state government through the office of the first lady, Mrs. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu.
Obok thanked everyone, especially the governor’s wife for the cash and material empowerment as well as the instructors, who made the programme successful.
Amidst apology to those who could not secure the empowerment kits, he partly said “We have toiled day and night for this programme, and I announce to you that this programme is coming to an end today. The journey of these skills acquisition programme started in 2015.
“I understand that it was not everybody that was given the award. I want to sincerely apologize to those who were not able to collect either cash or items from the government.
“The empowerment was from the government. The government told us that they would empower Four Hundred and Fifty-Eight (458) persons, and the total number of persons we trained for this skill acquisition programme is One Thousand and Eighty-Three (1,083) persons.”
The minister expressed optimism that the subsequent edition of the programme will not only accommodate more persons, but will be better.
Highlight of the event was an inspection of the finished products exhibited by the graduates and the presentation of cash/empowerment kits to some by the governor’s wife, Mrs. Eyoawan Ot u.
Represented by Mrs. Virginia Ironbar, Otu stressed the need for more Nigerians, especially the youth to acquire meaningful skills in order to earn a decent living and contribute towards economic development of the nation.
She described skills acquisition as an essential tool to cushion the effect of the present economic realities in Nigeria, and thanked the church for conceiving the idea as well as her consistency in the training.
Mrs. Otu said the current administration in the state remains committed towards reducing unemployment through skills acquisition, hence, the partnership with the church to encourage the graduates.
Some of the graduating Nigerians including Halima Abubakar and Mariam Ali, expressed satisfaction over the training.
They thanked the church for the rare opportunity given to them to freely acquire a skill.
The duo, who were participants of the baking and confectionery classes, disclosed their readiness to put into practice the skills acquired even before securing a shop.
