By Bassey Asuquo
Lugbe (Abuja): The umbrella body of Nigerian Skilled Artisans, BACSAAN, has commenced mass registration of its members for Economic benefits under the BACSAAN-CENTURY Information Systems (CIS) artisan empowerment scheme.
The BACSAAN-CENTURY strategic artisans economic support platform is a private sector initiative designed to open new Vista of opportunities for Nigerian Artisans under the umbrella of the Builders, Construction and Skilled Artisans Association of Nigeria (BACSAAN).
The Digital enrolment, which formally began on Monday at the Association’s Headquarters in Lugbe, Abuja, attracted a large number of artisans skilled in various trades and handworks.
Speaking during the flag off of the exercise, the Coordinator of the BACSAAN-CENTURY artisan empowerment initiative, Mr. Martin’s Ameh, assured the artisans that the management of CENTURY was committed to the success of the programme.
He urged the Artisans to embrace the BACSAAN-CENTURY initiative to improve their fortune, disclosing that, as a gesture of goodwill, CIS had built a State-of-the-art website and portal for BACSAAN for seamless uploading of artisans and to also enhance the association’s local and global visibility.
Ameh, who is a Senior official of CENTURY Information Systems, said that their company was in operational alliance with the federal government’s Equipment Leasing Regulatory Authority (ELRA) through which equipment for the artisans would be facilitated and procured.
The CIS Officer particularly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his bold and transformational renewed hope initiatives under which ELRA was now being properly funded to enable it discharge its mandate of empowering artisans effectively.
He noted that though ELRA was established before President Tinubu’s tenure, the agency was not funded until the present Administration began providing fund for ELRA to perform its statutory functions, which he noted, was now benefitting artisans.
Also speaking during the flag off of the artisan enrolment programme, the BACSAAN National President, Haj. Fasasi Muhammad Jamiu commended the Management of CENTURY Information Systems for their commitment to the success of the artisan empowerment initiative.
Fasasi enjoined BACSAAN members to enrol emmass as a sign of goodwill and appreciation to CIS whose management, he noted, has invested much resources in the partnership to ensure its success.
The BACSAAN Leader recalled that though artisans have endured disappointment from several organisations in the past, ‘the commencing BACSAAN-CENTURY partnership would yield huge success for BACSAAN members across the country.
Dignitaries at the Flag off ceremony included top BACSAAN National leaders, including Haj. Isiaq Osolake, Secretary of the National Executive Council and, Coordinator, SouthWest Zone.
Several officers of Century Information Systems Limited also attended the ceremony.
