By Timipah Orusa
In a strategic move to foster industrial growth and youth empowerment in Bayelsa State, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has initiated a partnership with the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Vocational Training, Yenagoa. The meeting, held on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the Rector’s office in the Women Affairs Building, Ovom, is expected to kickstart a collaborative framework focused on skills training and raw materials development in the state.
During the meeting, the Bayelsa State Coordinator of RMRDC, Mr. Timipah Orusa, emphasised the importance of developing local raw materials through entrepreneurship and vocational education. He noted that the Council’s mandate includes supporting industrialisation by optimising the use of indigenous raw materials, promoting product development from research and development (R&D), and disseminating investment information for the establishment of resource-based industries.
Orusa highlighted Bayelsa’s vast potential in agro and mineral resources and called for increased awareness and support for initiatives that can transform these resources into value-added products. “Bayelsa State must begin to harness its local raw materials, particularly in agriculture and mining, to drive sustainable economic development,” he said.
Rector of the Institute, Dr. Zoubomudor Edwin Agbana, welcomed the collaboration and expressed optimism about the impact of the partnership. He reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to providing practical training in entrepreneurship and vocations, pointing to the abundance of raw materials in Bayelsa, such as palm fruits, cassava, cocoa, and seafood, that could be processed into commercially viable products.
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“The Institute was established to empower individuals with skills in various vocations that promote self-reliance,” Agbana said. “We are pleased to partner with RMRDC in advancing raw materials development through structured training and innovation.”
The Rector outlined the Institute’s current offerings, which include programs in: Catering Services, ICT and Digital Skills, Welding, Fashion Design, Furniture Making, Agro-Enterprises, Fish Production, Livestock and Poultry Farming and Apiculture (Beekeeping)
Agbana also assured the Council of the Institute’s readiness to provide necessary facilities and expertise, noting that training durations range from three months to one year, depending on the program.
Other speakers at the meeting also emphasised the urgent need to revitalise Bayelsa’s dormant industries, many of which have become moribund due to a lack of raw materials and skilled manpower. Mr. Peres Lakemfa, the Bursar of the Institute, cited the defunct starch, plastic, and paint industries as examples, calling on stakeholders to embrace the partnership as a timely intervention.
The Registrar, Mr. Ekperi Ernest Douye, stressed the Institute’s commitment to research and innovation, while Dr. Jacob Poripo and Mr. Usman Issa Olatayo of RMRDC reiterated the Council’s ongoing R&D efforts and its focus on industrial value chains. The meeting concluded with a three-point resolution:
- Formal collaboration between RMRDC and the Institute on raw materials development and utilisation through vocational and entrepreneurship training.
- Identification and recommendation by RMRDC of suitable training programs and specific participant numbers for initial implementation.
- Facility assessment visit by RMRDC to the Institute’s training centre to evaluate readiness for program commencement.
The partnership is expected to open up new investment opportunities in small, medium, and large-scale enterprises in Bayelsa State, while also tackling unemployment through targeted skills acquisition and value addition to local resources.
