Group tasks government to put entrepreneurship on front burner

In line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Junior Chamber International (JCI), Ikeja Branch, Lagos, has called on government to put entrepreneurship issues on the front burner.
 
The organisation, made up of young people between the ages of 18 and 40, described entrepreneurship as the way out of the present economic quagmire, and has mapped out strategies through its projects and programmes for 2020, to passionately promote enterprise among the youth in diverse ways.
   
President, JCI, Oladipupo Okeniyi,  said government should by now see the need to concentrate on entrepreneurial projects for the youth with a view to addressing current realities, which include economic instability, and climate change that demands innovations to combat its grave consequences, among others.
   
Okeniyi disclosed that JCI Ikeja branch in its agenda for the year, will to reach out to hundreds of young people within and outside Ikeja community, across Lagos State, Nigeria, Africa and beyond, with such projects and programmes that would ignite their spirit entrepreneurship.
   
“In actual fact, all our projects are tied to the United Nations sustainable development goals, and this helps us to get partners to support us.“Among our programmes is “Zero-hunger project”, which has to do with empowerment of young people with acquisition skills such as cinematography, tailoring, fashion design, disc-jockey, which we have realised is a growing industry, among others. All are aimed at affecting a minimum of 30 young people, who would be assisted to learn skills that can help them develop themselves” he said.
   
He noted that while the training would be absolutely free, financial empowerment to set up business where necessary would be minimal because of the realisation that anything that is absolutely free would not be valued; hence beneficiaries are expected to make use of whatever they have to start their business.Okeniyi also disclosed of innovative enterprise exhibition seminar that would focus on enterprise and methods to build and expand businesses, which according to him, would make young people grow.

He also mentioned the group’s catch-them-young programme, through the Secondary School Debate competition, targeting majorly students between SS1 and SS2 , to build their confidence, research ability, and develop boldness to speak in public, and be able to articulate their points such that any where they find themselves, they would be able to speak loud and clear without any form of timidity.