Gov Simon Lalong of Plateau (right) with
Mafeng Iliya, winner of the 3rd edition of the MSME Virtual awards in furniture and wood work, after the event on Thursday in Abuja

A Plateau enterprenuer, Mafeng Iliya, has emerged the best in furniture and wood work category at the 3rd edition of the National Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) awards held virtually on Thursday in Abuja.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the MSME award conceived in 2018, is an annual event organised by the National MSMEs clinic secretariat, office of the Vice President.

Responding after being announced winner of the category, Mafeng thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the recognition given to him with the gift of N1 million.

He thanked God for the talent given to him, saying the award was an encouragement for him to do more and mentor more young persons in the skills.

In his remarks, Gov. Simon Lalong said he was proud of the great talents that had been emerging in the state, saying they had encouraged him to overhaul the technical education sector in Plateau.

“I am establishing three technical colleges in Plateau for each of the senatorial districts. I am overhauling the technical college in Bukuru and the one in Shendam is almost completed while that of Pankshin is in the process,”Lalong said.

He said he was working toward expanding the scope of technical education for tertiary Institutions in the State to offer such schemes and strengthen the existing ones.

He expressed delight at the innovative contributions of Plateau recipients of the MSME awards , saying he would continue to monitor their progress while assuring them that the state would invest in them.

“I am sandwiched today by winners of MSME awards which Plateau has featured consecutively since the first edition in 2018 and won.

“Jerry Mallo, one of the recipients of the first edition of the MSME awards has made us proud. He has invented ventilator and hand washing machine,”the governor said.

He said the consecutive recognition of Plateau enterpreneurs in the awards, was an indication of its potentials, saying the gesture was also an encouragement for them to support skills and craft development in the state.

He thanked the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the Plateau Small and Medium Scale Enterprises among other Organisations, in helping youths to develop their technical and vocational skills and market their businesses.

Also in his remarks, the Director General of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, encouraged youths to empower themselves with technical and vocation skills and not to rely on white collar jobs.

Ari said skills acquisition was critical to developing the economy and building infrastructure in the society, saying his organisation was committed through its various programmes to develop manpower.

NAN reports that Jerry Mallo was the overall winner of the maiden edition in 2018 with a tractor; while Mr Luka Zaka Zang Bot won an award in 2019 in the technology innovation category by producing a computer mouse for people living with disabilities (NAN)