Date: 2017-08-28

The Kwara South Senator, Dr. Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, has called on youth to diversify and think of what they can do with their hands to recover the declining economy and reduce the over dependency on the white collar jobs that aren't available.

That was the senator's message at the one day sensitization programme on entrepreneurship and empowerment organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria Entrepreneurship Development Centre (CBN-EDC) in collaboration with the Rafiu Ibrahim Bilal Foundation (RIB FOUNDATION), a foundation funded by the senator to provide supports and humanitarian services to the downtrodden masses, held at the premises of Kwara South Senatorial Constituency Office of Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim, Omupo in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State.

The senator, who was ably represented by his Senior Legislative Aide, Alhaji Akogun Abdulrauf Jimoh, enjoined the participants to make good use of the opportunity provided by him through the CBN to develop entrepreneurship among the constituents of Kwara South Senatorial District and Kwara State by extension.

The guest speaker from CBN Entrepreneurship Development Centre who was in charge of the sensitization, Mr. Moses Popoola, described Senator Rafiu as a role model for the youths, contemporaries and a blessing to Kwara State owing to his passion for not only infrastructural development but also human capacity development.

Popoola, in his lecture, enumerated the benefits of entrepreneurship and what each participants stands to gain in having their own business.

While assuring them of the readiness of the CBN to grant soft-loan for any viable and workable business plan, he urged the participants to take the training seriously as Senator Rafiu has expended so much on it and not to digress the financial support from the nation's apex bank into a venture for which it's not meant.

The Kwara South APC Senatorial Chairman, Alhaji Jimoh Balogun, speaking at the programme lauded the party leadership under the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, for showing a direction in the path of youth development through schemes like STEP and other entrepreneurship programmes, the line which is being towed by the Kwara South senator, Dr. Rafiu Ibrahim.

Alhaji Balogun, therefore, commended Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim for his several people oriented strides at the red chamber in his legislative activities and back home in his constituency. He described the senator as a responsive and responsible representative who is always made happy by the happiness of his people at home.

The Senatorial Chairman proceeded by reiterating the support, loyalty and prayer of the people of Kwara South to the leadership of Dr. Saraki, who he described as a leader that is worthy of emulation by his followers. He then concluded by urging all APC party faithful in Kwara to be fully ready for the coming LG election as there exists no opposition in Kwara but a group of disgruntled elements fighting for their personal pockets.

The Director General of RIB Foundation, Dr. Bosun Lawal, in his speech, highlighted the cardinal points of RIB Foundation to better the lives of the people. He assured that, aside the past and ongoing programme, RIB Foundation has come to touch lives.