As part of measures to improve the quality of services being rendered by artisans in Edo State, the Edo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE) is collaborating with the Artisan Development and Networking Organization (ARDENET ORG) to organize a stakeholders’ sensitization conference with the theme, “Need for Sustainable Collaboration in the Artisan Sector”, ahead of its Maiden Skilled Artisans Mega Summit, slated to hold in February/March next year.
Speaking at a press briefing on the proposed conference, the Functioning Head of the Edo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE), Mrs. Mercy Imasuen Isibor, said that the Artisans’ sector remains a vital pillar in the Board’s development agenda, contributing significantly to job creation, skill transfer and local economic growth, and it aligns with its commitment to advancing technical and vocational education and training as a cornerstone of economic development.
Mrs. Isibor revealed that the Board wants to adopt an integrated method to address the challenges and ensure that artisans in the State come out better for it, so that in the next three to five years, the State would become the hub of artisans in Nigeria, and people will no longer go out of the country to seek for their services.
“The major aim of this conference is to ensure that we are able to chat pathways that would enable us to empower artisans, improve the quality of services they render and position them as drivers of inclusive development in Edo State,” she stated.
Also speaking, the president, Artisans Development and Networking Organization, ARDENET ORG, Mr. Ugiagbe Osamuyimen, maintained that they are collaborating with Edo State Board of Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE) to bring forth better opportunities, development and networking to sustain the artisan business in Edo State.
“The need for us to put heads together to bring forth better development in this sector became sacrosanct. On that, we applied for partnership and today we have sealed it up in preparation for the upcoming one day sensitization conference for invited stakeholders,” he stated.
According to Osamuyimen, they considered inviting top-notch stakeholders for the conference, because artisan’s services involve everybody and no matter how rich or poor you are, you will never enjoy your money without the service of an artisan.
He called on invited stakeholders to ensure they make themselves available, to enable them put head together to figure out channels through which they could be able to proffer lasting solutions to the challenges facing artisans and thereby increase their values.
On his part, the Director, Strategy and Planning, ARDENET ORG, Mr. John Nosakhare Oyairo, observed that the collaboration is for the betterment of everybody.
Mr. Oyairo said, “The last time I checked, the structured sector of the workforce in Edo State was just 7%, and that leave 93% for artisans. And all this while nothing has been done to develop the artisan space. And so trying to do that now is a welcome idea, it’s a dream come through for artisans“.
He added that the aim is to ensure that in the next three to five years, artisans in Edo State can compete internationally with any other artisan.
The event is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOSPA, by 10 am.
