FCTA Trains 550 Retirees On Entrepreneurship, SMEs

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) has trained 550 retirees from the FCTA departments and agencies on entrepreneurship, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), for them to invest their retirement benefits after civil service.

The permanent secretary of, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr. Olusade Adesola made this known at the closing ceremony of the 2022 pre-retirement training for retiring officers of the FCTA organised in the headquarters of Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA).

Adesola who was represented by the director of administration, office of the permanent sectary, Mr. Atang Udo Samuel, explained that the FCTA recognises the need to equip and prepare retirees, as well as those that may have left earlier, on what it takes to operate actively and profitably in the business environment.

While advising the retirees, he said, “we believe that having contributed your best active years in building and improving the FCT, you equally deserve the best to be emotionally and technically empowered to face your next phase of life in the areas of business and vocation. Of course, this is what this training is set to achieve.

“It is my strong belief that having been drilled for the past five days by facilitators that are highly experienced in business and management techniques, you are now set to launch into the business world with vigour and determination to succeed,”

The retiring officers were trained in courses such as: starting and managing consultancy business in Nigeria, personal financial planning and management, investment opportunities in Nigeria, will, and trust, health, wellness, and leisure, amongst others.

Earlier, the acting managing director of Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) Mallam Shehu Abdulkadir, urged the retirees to put into practice all that they have gained in the training, that ultimately, it is expected that it will guarantee their financial stability and freedom after service.

“The reason why the FCTA gave us the responsibility to train retirees from the FCT, is because here at Abuja Enterprise Agency, there is a place where you can always return to.

“You can return to us whenever you have an investment opportunity or entrepreneur venture that you want to go into. We have a team of experts that can advise you so that you do not fall into the wrong hands.

“A lot of us spent 35 years in service or attained the age of 65years, and at the end of the day, you get your retirement package, and unfortunately some fall into the wrong hands because you see people investing in ventures that are not viable,” he said.