By Dipo Olowookere
The Bayelsa State Government has promised young people in the state interested in entrepreneurship more assistance.
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said this support will come in form of investment friendly environment and seed capital to help grow their businesses.
Speaking at a workshop of a young businessman last week, the Commissioner said Governor Seriake Dickson was committed to supporting businesses in the state so as to boost the economy.
Few weeks ago, a 31-year old entrepreneur, Mr Amabebe Richard, had engaged the Commissioner during a live phone-in program on radio, calling for support to enable him and others expand their business, a development that prompted Mr Iworiso-Markson to visit Mr Richard to ascertain his claims.
Mr Iworiso-Markson, who was stunned to see how the young man uses sawdust to fabricate lamp holders and screeding of walls, said government, through the relevant agencies, will give him the opportunity to be more established and start exporting his product.
The Information Commissioner who was filled with excitement said Bayelsa has abundant talents who are ready to rule their world if given the opportunity and called on those who are engaged in crime to take a cue from the likes of Mr Richard and begin to be more useful.
“Skill acquisition and entrepreneurship are often acquired through mentorship or training but I am suprise that this is not the case for this young man. He didn’t have any formal or informal training on this. That shows the raw talent deposited in him.
“I am overwhelmed especially with the fact that he is a Bayelsan who hails from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. Personally I will patronize him and the Restoration Government of His Excellency will do everything to make sure going forward he succeeds in this his chosen field. We will not relent to provide the needed environment and funding for him and others.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on our young people who are engage in petty and violent crimes to desist. Everyone has a talent and if you discover yours, you will be the next big thing. Crime does not pay in anyway but with your talent be rest assured that you will never go hungry,” he said.
Mr Richard said he has been practising on achieving his passion which he successfully invented as well as other measures of moulding with saw dust apart from the popular way of creating only pile and Formica woods.
He said he has proven to the world by his innovative invention that saw dusts can be used to make fitting, wall brackets, Chandelier, lamp holders, plastering, flower vase, ceiling boards, doors and so on.
Adedapo Adesanya