By Ifeanyichukwu Ibe
The Association of Nigeria Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT), Imo State Chapter, on Monday, July 27, 2026, organized a one-day capacity-building workshop for its members in collaboration with the Imo State Ministry of Entrepreneurship, Skills Acquisition and Social Responsibility.
The workshop, themed “Strengthening Imo State Artisans Through Creativity and Innovation,” was attended by government officials, representatives of financial institutions, resource persons, and members of ASNAT drawn from various trade and technical groups across the state.
In his address, the Imo State Coordinator of ASNAT, Hon. Dozie Julius, commended artisans in the state for their contributions to addressing human needs and providing essential services to society.
Julius, who is also the South-East Coordinator of ASNAT, said the turnout of members for the workshop demonstrated their commitment to improving their skills and achieving greater productivity.
He stressed the importance of continuous self-development, explaining that the training was designed to strengthen the capacity of members to adapt to global trends, solve emerging challenges, and contribute meaningfully to the development of Imo State.
“As skilled craft workers and technicians operating in the informal sector, we have the responsibility of providing solutions to the needs of members of the society we serve in line with our professional engagements. So, training of this type is essential to equip our members with modern know-how to be more competent, innovative and productive, as well as enable them to meet industry standards and changing global market demands,” Julius stated.
The ASNAT leader expressed appreciation to the association’s supervising ministry, the Imo State Ministry of Entrepreneurship, Skills Acquisition and Social Responsibility, for its guidance and commitment to the welfare, growth and development of artisans in the state.
He also emphasized the importance of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in achieving developmental objectives, assuring the ministry of ASNAT’s continued collaboration and support.
Julius pledged that members of the association would continue to support government programmes and policies while complying with relevant directives.
He, however, appealed to the state government to strengthen its support for artisans through interventions such as skills training, sponsorship of workshops, provision of micro-credit facilities, and development of artisans’ clusters with the necessary equipment and infrastructure.
Reacting, the Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Professor Love Moses, commended Imo State ASNAT for its organized structure and the contributions of its members to society through their various skills and talents. She encouraged the artisans to increase their productivity and continue to provide quality services for the benefit of residents of the state.
Love Moses assured the association of the government’s continued support and collaboration towards improving the welfare and capacity of artisans, while urging members to remain law-abiding and supportive of government programmes and policies. She also reminded them of the need to fulfill their obligations to government, including the payment of applicable revenues.
Delivering a lecture titled “Apprenticeship Management and Mentorship,” the Special Adviser to the Governor on Skills, Hon. Chidi Onyebuchi, described apprenticeship as a system through which learners acquire practical skills and knowledge by working under the guidance of experienced professionals.
He said apprenticeship plays an important role in developing a skilled workforce and improving employment opportunities.
Onyebuchi expressed concern over the decline of the traditional apprenticeship system associated with the South-East, noting that many young people were becoming less interested in learning technical and vocational skills.
He called for the revival and strengthening of apprenticeship in the region, stressing that the practice remained vital to addressing unemployment, enhancing productivity and ensuring the transfer of skills from one generation to another.
He urged artisans to take the responsibility of mentoring and training younger people seriously, saying that effective knowledge transfer was essential for the sustainability of the various trades.
Other presentations at the workshop included “Entrepreneurship and Business Development” and “Succession Planning and Family Business.” Mr. Ugo Okechukwu of the Imo State Internal Revenue Service (IIRS) also educated participants on the One Community, One Agent (OCORA) initiative, which seeks to promote a unified tax payment system.
The workshop ended on a positive note, with participants expressing satisfaction with the training and commending the leadership of ASNAT in the state under Hon. Dozie Julius for organizing the programme.
They also applauded the growing partnership between the association and the Imo State Ministry of Entrepreneurship, Skills Acquisition and Social Responsibility, describing the collaboration as beneficial to the development and empowerment of artisans in the state.
