CBN builds entrepreneural centre at MOUAU to encourage students to learn trade and develop skills

UMUAHIA-IN a bid to ensure that its graduates learn
trades different from their programmes of study, the
management of Michael Okpara Univerity of Agriculture
has pledged to make maximum use of the multi-million
naira Centre for Entrepreneurship Development block built
for them by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Already, the university has made it compulsory for second
year students to engage in one trade at the centre and
from indications it is paying off for the students. Some of
the students displayed their various products last week
during the official hand over of the centre to the university
by the CBN.
Some students displaying their products
The products ranged from clothing materials, shoes and
other leather works such as sandals, slippers, bags;
perfumes, air fresheners, insecticides, ippers, bread, cake,
chin-chin and custard to students of engineering repairing
generators and vehicle engines. According to CBN, the
centre is meant to serve all tertiary institutions in the
South East geo-political zone.
Developing skills and talents
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor of the Central Bank
of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who was represented by

a deputy director in CBN, Mr. Oluwole Owoeye, appealed
to students in Abia State and the entire South East zone
to take advantage of the opportunity provided for them by
the centre to develop their skills and talents.
Emefiele who announced that the project was part of
corporate and social responsibility of CBN explained that
the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) was
designed to develop skills for Small and Medium Scale
Enterprises. “In Nigeria we realized that for now, there is
dearth of skills. People don’t have relevant skills. So the
essence of this thing is for people to develop skills in
various areas, so that they can be independent on their
own.
“This one is the project the bank has developed for the
South East zone. My appeal is for Abia and the entire
Southeast to leverage and take advantage of this centre,
come and develop their skills. We know that Aba is well
known for a lot of SMEs, so I want to use this medium to
appeal to the people in Aba, its environs and entire Abia to
come and patronize this centre, so that we will build up
their skills.
“We have shoe, slippers, bag and sandals making unit,
bread, cake, chin-chin and custard marking unit, clothing
and textile unit, auto machanic and generator repairs,
insecticide, air freshener and perfume unit, among others
in this center. So people from the South East zone should
come in and build their skills so that Nigeria will be a
better place for all of us”, the CBN   boss said.
Entrepreneurship education and training
In his address, the University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof.
Francis Otunta, represented by Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe,
commended the CBN for conceiving the idea and
disclosed that the Centre for Entrepreneurship
Development (CED) was established in the institution in
October 2011 in compliance with the directive of the
Federal Government of Nigeria and National Universities
Commission.
According to him, the vision of CED was to make MOUAU
a foremost institution, especially the university of
agriculture which provides comprehensive and highly
accessible quality entrepreneurship education and
training in Nigeria.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Centre for
Entrepreneurship, MOUAU, Prof. Oji Onu Ekumankama
commended the CBN for reaffirming interest in CED and
in promoting entrepreneurial education and training in the
university, and described the project as a big morale
booster for CED whose mission was to provide facilities
and expertise that would propel the growth and
development of SMEs through sustainable quality,
effective and dynamic entrepreneurial coaching and
assistance.