By Sodiq Yusuf
The Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Dr Ajibola Basiru has facilitated a 3-Day Capacity Building Training for no fewer than 100 Co-operators in his constituency on Information and Communication Technology, Entrepreneurship Management, Cooperative Law, Values and Studies.
According to Senator Basiru, the skill acquisition exercise, which kicked-off in Osogbo, the State Capital of Osun on Tuesday, was geared towards increasing human capital development and supporting the informal sector of the economy.
The training was organised is in collaboration with the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan.
Basiru explained that the training would also help beneficiaries to proffer a window of relief for themselves due to the economic imbalance occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate Spokesperson stressed that the initiative which is one of his numerous intervention programmes will further create doors of opportunities for the youths, especially his constituents.
He said: “The programme is to reawaken our people to productivity. The basis for the development of any society is entrepreneurship. It will expose the participants to the rudiments of the profession and in all, to see to the economic development of the state.
“The beneficiaries were chosen from various sectors and areas of trade. I am a staunch adherent of the school of thought that espouses the importance of human capital development as against the shenanigans of giving people handouts that end with the giving.
“The training is aimed at improving the participants’ appreciation of Information and Communication Technology, hone their entrepreneurial and management skills, give them a deeper understanding of cooperatives and how they function and also the key benefits of belonging to a cooperative society.
“With about 12 months in the Senate, I have impacted positively on my constituents and I have not taken the electorates for a ride. I have proved it in many ways that I am not an ‘Abuja Senator.’ My pact with the people remains as solid as ever, I have started to address issues within and without the pact to show that I am not a politician with bogus, unrealistic and unrealisable promises. I have proved that I am a man of my words as I understand the gravity of holding people’s trust.”
Speaking at the programme, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola lauded the Senator for his contributions to the development of his people.
Oyetola who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, stated that the move to further develop the informal sector is in line with global best practices in engendering rapid economic development of the state.
He maintained that “In these seasons and times of harsh economic realities orchestrated by global economic downturn and COVID-19 realities, concerted efforts must be made to embrace entrepreneurship personal finance principles and empowerment to achieve self-reliance. I heartily appreciate Senator (Dr.) Basiru for organising his training programme for the people who voted him into power. This is a good dividend of representative governance.”
In his goodwill message, a former Governor of the state and former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Chief Adebisi Akande emphasised the need for empowerment as the only panacea to boost the economy of the country.
Akande saluted the vision of the facilitator of the capacity building training exercise urging the participants to maximise the opportunity to enhance their businesses.
“There is no gain saying the fact that co-operatives and entrepreneurship contributed a great deal to the prosperity of the nation in the pre-military era. This idea of training co-operators is a good one and I must commend the Senator for bringing this to us. We are mindful of this fact and I will call on beneficiaries to maximise it to become strategic drivers of the state’s economy.”
Others who spoke at the opening ceremony of the three-day capacity building training included the Chairman, Osun APC Elders Council, Engr Sola Akinwumi, the immediate past Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, Osun APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mrs Christy Ogunfolaju and the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, Larooye II.
They commended Senator Basiru for bringing the empowerment training to the doorsteps of his people. They urged political officers to emulate the Osun Central Senator while considering initiatives to alleviate poverty and achieve societal emancipation.
