BELLO TO DELTA WOMEN: JOIN PROSPERITY TRAIN, BECOME GREAT ENTREPRENEURS

 ANDREW IKEHI.

Thehe Executive Secretary, Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DSMSMEDA), Mrs. Shimite Bello has challenged women in the state to join the ‘Prosperity Train’ of the state government by cultivating the spirit of entrepreneurship.

Bello gave the charge recently in Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili South local government area of the state during the empowerment of over 250 women drawn from Aniocha North, Oshimili South and Oshimili North local government areas of the state.

The Empowerment exercise with the theme; “Empowering Women Cooks and Farmers Against Poverty through Agriculture” organised at the instance of the Political Appointees in the local government areas who included the State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, his health counterpart, Dr. Nicholas Azinge and that of culture and tourism, Chief Dan Okenyi as well as the DSMSMEDA boss, Shimite Bello, The Pointer reports, saw the presentation of farm seeds and equipment valued at over three million naira to the women.

In her address at the meeting held at the Akwkwu-Igbo Civic Centre, the DSMSMEDA boss particularly enjoined women in the state to cultivate the habit of growing vegetables in commercial quantities in order to ensure food security.

Harping on her topic, “Gardening Going Back To The Basics” the DSMSMEDA boss said that the advise became imperative in this contemporary times as according to her, it would go a long way in strengthening the state economy as anchored on the SMART Agenda and “Prosperity For All Deltans” vision of the current administration in the state.

She said, “In the light of the unemployment index in Nigeria in general and Delta State in particular, a movement has began across the state to empower the Women in Agriculture and other farmers.

“The era of leaving fertile soil behind our homes in a fallow state is over, we must also consider growing vegetables in commercial quantities to ensure food security. This must be part of our sustainability plan.

“ For those of you who would take this discussion, training and demonstration seriously and can follow through with the requisite hard work, this skill can take you to unimaginable places. Try to think about it, becoming an expert.

“The Delta State Economy will grow if you do. It is on the basis of the above hope of a better economy for our great state through the continuous implementation of the SMART Agenda that today’s programme is convened.

Delta State must cash in on vegetable production on a large scale, but we will start small” Bello stated.