11/12/2018
*N- POWER A BOOST TO MADE IN ABA CAMPAIGN*
Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development. Despite the current high level of unemployment, harnessing Nigeria’s young demography through appropriate skill development efforts provides an opportunity to achieve inclusion and productivity within the country. Large-scale skill development is the main policy thrust of the N-Power Programme.
The N-Power programme is one of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes hinged on human capital development, employment and social development with an enormous ripples effect on economic development. It addresses the challenge of youth unemployment by providing a structure for large scale and relevant work skills acquisition and development while linking its core and outcomes to fixing inadequate public services and stimulating the larger economy. This has been evident in Abia State through its support and promotion of made in Aba products.
The made in Aba campaign has been evidently supported by N-Power programme through the production of 13,000 branded T-shirts this year and this was based on a simple decision of the beneficiaries to do a branded T-shirt as a means of identity, uniformity and uniqueness in any function they are in attendance. The T-Shirt cost the N-Power beneficiaries about #1000 per T-shirt and it was solely produced by Aba producers which created both job and income to Aba tailors, material producers and artists inclusive. As material productions were made in Aba, it created more jobs and income for the producer, so were the tailors engaged in the making of the T-shirt in different sizes and shapes, the artists involved in the creation of write up designs and printing on the T-shirts were not left out. This however promoted the made in Aba programme as most of the N-Power outings by the beneficiaries has been with the N-Power T-shirt outfit, there by canvassing and advertising the made in Aba products.
It is on record that Hon. Chinenye Nwaogu, Abia State Focal Person on Social Investment Programme secured the job for the production of 20,000 over-all wears to support Aba tailors and artisans. The 20,000 over-all wears used by N-build beneficiaries in their training were the wonderful work and product of Aba producers. All these has reflected in the total income generation of over 60 million Naira in the pockets of Aba tailors and material producers. This feat was made possible by the singular directive of Vice President Yemi Osibanjo that all materials to be used in these production must be sourced locally in Aba. Abia State government had already played a significant role when the State governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (PhD), pioneer promoter of made in Aba created a voice and an enabling environment for made in Aba products to excel.
It is worthy to note here therefore, that the N-Power programme in Abia State has not only empowered the unemployed young graduates of the state, but has also extended it's wings in empowering other sectors of the economy through the purchases of made in Aba products by N-Power beneficiaries under the steering leadership of an energetic aid to the governor, Hon. Chinenye Nwaogu, Abia State Focal Person, Social Investment Programme.
