The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) through the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative has flagged off the skills acquisition training in vocational and agricultural skills, transient jobs, and activities in the public work sector
The event which showcased over a thousand participants in attendance, took place at the Federal secretariat, Awka on Friday, 5th.
Chairman of the Occasion, Mr. Dara Chijioke Okechukwu, while welcoming the participants who were shortlisted for the training, informed them that the privilege to learn a skill is an added advantage irrespective of the position or academic endeavors. He urged them to be committed and passionate about the program so that they would all benefit immensely.
In a welcome address, Anambra State Coordinator, NDE, Mrs Ufelle Chika said the NDE through her various programmes and activities, is vigorously pushing the frontiers of providing decent and sustainable jobs for the teaming unemployed. “A total of 93,731 (Ninety-three thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one) unskilled and unemployed persons will be engaged and trained across Nigeria which is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a target of ten persons from each electoral ward across the country”.
Mrs. Ufelle noted that the Directorate tackles unemployment problems through agricultural, Vocational, and Ebtreprenuership training, and activities in the public work sector and will use over 30 different skill sets under this initiative.
She maintained that implementation of these schemes in the past has recorded huge success as regards to set targets and goals.”A good number of the graduated trainees are now self-employed as well as become employers of labor and NDE Master Trainers.
In his speech Director General National Directorate of Employment, H.E Silas A. Agara disclosed that the current employment initiative is inclusiveness and a Cardinal consideration designed for the program. We have ensured that a miminum of 10 persons from every of 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria were recruited to benefit from 30 skill sets across our four core programs, vocational skill development, small enterprises, rural employment promotion, and special public works. These programs are meant for school leavers, school dropouts, women, graduates of tertiary institutions, retirees, and persons with special needs among others.
He noted that successful beneficiaries will be resettled into productive entrepreneurial lives through the provision of tools, equipment, and start-up capital while those who were not able to resettle will be linked with credit-granting institutions for further support.
The NDE boss equally stated that 40,000 out of 93,731 persons enrolled in this program will be receiving training in ICT and digital skill as a deliberate step by the NDE to equip our youths with emerging skills that will enable them to become globally competitive.
Mrs Ifeoma Ezenwafor, a Master’s Trainee, however, advised participants to focus on learning the programme and not thinking of what the government will give. “Bring out your time and make sure you learn whatever you are here to learn. The government is building acquisition centers, setting actions to train as many as possible that are unemployed so that once everyone gets the skills, we can produce a lot that will have to make the economy liveable and prosperous for our country Nigeria”.
Appreciating NDE, one of the participants, Mr Christian Obutu thanked the management of the programme for their support and urged the beneficiaries to ensure that maximum efforts are placed on learning the skills.
Present at the venue were Nnenna Kalu of Civil Defence, Supretendant, Correctional Service Amawbia, Mr Francis Ekezie, O.I Ukenenye of Federal Road Safety Anambra, Roland Okoli from Job Centres unit, and Ikem Nwankwo of HOD Inspectorate, among others
Meanwhile, News Echo gathered that the participants will be trained in digital skills, fashion designing, food processing, fish, poultry, and goat production, basic business training, solar energy training, environmental beautification, etc.
The training is expected to last for a period of two weeks to three months, depending on the skill set, after which beneficiaries are expected to acquire these marketable skills and also improve their competence.
