From Joseph Adahnu, Yola
The Director General, Adamawa State Poverty and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA), Dr Michael Wadaragwo, has reiterated the commitment of the Governor Ahmadu Fintiri led administration, towards transforming the area from a civil service state to an economic hub.
Dr Wadaragwo gave the assurance during an interview in his office in Yola.
According to him, the governor has pledged to leave no stone unturned in his quest to move the state from it’s civil service status to an economic hub.
In line with this, the governor has resolved to unveil a skill acquisition programme targeted at supporting women engaged in petty businesses to be self reliance in future.
Also in furtherance of Governor Fintiri’s commitment to turnaround the socioeconomic fortunes of the state, the State Government initiated the Adamawa State Poverty and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA).
PAWECA, he further disclosed is a government agency initied to train Adamawa citizen who reside in the state to be self reliances through it’s Technical Training Centers spread across the state.
Part of its mandate is to train youths in different skills like mechanical, solar panel installation, tailoring, hair dressing, amongst others. That is besides the cash transfer support for Micro businesses.
In addition , no fewer than 10,000 students have so far been trained to be self reliant as government cannot create employment for all it’s citizens he further emphasised.
He disclosed that the State Government was already preparing for the next batch of beneficiaries under the Fintiri Business Wallet.
Under the initiative, N5,000 is to be shared to 40,000 women and youths operating petty businesses by June. He used the forum to urge those who benefited earlier, to collect and hand over the forms they have collected to their brothers, friend and neighbours.
“You would recall that last year, about N2 bilion was shared to 40,000-50,000 citizens through the agency to encourage the people start small or petty businesses or Micro business. Big shops owners are not entitled to the funds it’s only for those selling Akara, pure water, fura da nono, these are the type of persons Gov. Fintiri is empowering and touching their lives wiith N50,000. This means a lot to them.
He emphasised that Governor Fintiri was committed to creating an enabling environment to boost small scale businesses in the state to thrive.
“I am sharing this forms to 226 words in Adamawa state at least 100 percent of the forms will be given to stakeholders and 60 percent will go to the down troden that don’t know anybody to be self reliance in future.”
On infrastructure, Dr Wadaragwo said the Gov Fintiri led administration has done a lot and that he decided to engage him to help drive his vision and plans in the sector. “I want to do what posterity will judge me because anything you do, posterity will judge you, so let me do what posterity will judge me positively” he further added.