The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson has issued a draft of N1 billion 
to the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Evelyn Oputu, as a counterpart equity contribution for the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (SME), specifically targeted at youths and women in the State.
To effectively manage the derivatives from the partnership the governor immediately inaugurated 24 member committee with representatives from all the local government areas in the state, headed by the Commissioner of Science, Technology and Manpower Development, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack.
The governor said the mandate of the committee is to ensure that the impact of this partnership is felt at the grass root.
At the handover ceremony, the Governor charged the Bank of Industry to keep to its end of the bargain by providing the marching N1 billion and commence the training and retraining of eligible Bayelsans on how to effectively manage small scale businesses.
Dickson stressed that the partnership is specifically geared towards empowering women and youths in the State.
Oputu, who was represented by the General Manager Southern Operations, Mr Shuiabu Ottam assured the governor that the partnership will generate no fewer than 200,000 jobs in the state in the nearest future.
The chairman of the committee while responding assured the Governor of the seriousness she and members of the committee will attach to the opportunity given to them to serve the State.
