Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu has said governments must provide enabling environment for private sector to prosper.
He spoke in Benin, Edo State capital, at the empowerment programme of Olere Women Empowerment Initiative (OWEI)
Shiabu urged recipients of the initiative to translate their training into not just earning a living, but employing people.
He said “We must educate ourselves and create awareness that the private sector does things better. God-given talents in our young men and women have to be harnessed, and in doing that, programmes as this have to be encouraged…
“You must not sell these items, because we have had experiences in the past, where people would go back and sell their packs to the sellers at half the price.
“Many of us travelled out and see that most of the economies of these countries we visit are driven by the private sector. We are not doing well in Nigeria, because the government is not providing environment for people to flourish.”
Initiator of the programme Hajia Maryam Abubakar said the best security that could be provided was engaging youths, women and children.
She said: “If you do not look after our people, particularly youths, women and children, there will be a problem, and you will not have peace…”
One of the guest speakers, Emmauel Usoh, who spoke on “Leadership Development Skills for Women and Youths,” said the beneficiaries’ benefactor had spent so much to put the people where they were, but admonished them to do more to put themselves where they intended to be tomorrow.
Supervisor of the programme Mrs. Amidat Ilegar Okoh noted that 34 people benefited and they were selected from the three senatorial districts, and trained in bag making and sewing.