BY EBI NIEKETIEN
Delta state government has approved the rollout of the second cycle of the Tertiary Entrepreneurship Programme (TEP), aimed at empowering students with funding, training, and entrepreneurship support to develop and scale their business ideas.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. ThankGod Trakirionwei, during a sensitization meeting with students of Delta State University, (DELSU), Abraka.
According to the Commissioner, the approval was a reflection of the state government’s commitment to equipping young people with the requisite skills and opportunities needed for them to thrive.
He stressed that the programme was designed to support students with exceptional entrepreneurial ideas, those demonstrating creativity, problem-solving skills, and social impact but lacking the financial capacity to execute their concepts.
Speaking further, he said, “With this approval, I want to assure you that the Ministry of Youth Development is fully prepared and ready to roll out the implementation immediately. All structures, processes, and partnerships required to make this cycle even more successful than the last one have been put in place’’. He revealed that the online application portal would be open at any moment, urging eligible students to prepare their required documents and proposals in advance for a seamless submission process.
According to him, applicants must be registered students of Delta State tertiary institutions and must submit clear, feasible, and innovative business ideas with measurable impact and social value, noting that, selected beneficiaries would undergo training, mentorship, and monitoring to strengthen their entrepreneurial capacity.
He encouraged students to embrace the opportunity and think creatively toward building businesses that could contribute to the state’s economic growth. He expressed gratitude to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for supporting the programme and commended stakeholders, partners, and students for supporting government efforts to empower the youth.
