FG vows to train more Niger Delta youths

Gov. Godswill Akpabio addressing a cross section of Akwa Ibom people that came to welcome him at Ibom International Airport on his arrival from Abuja, while the PDP State Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo watches with admiration.
 

The Federal Government has mandated the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to empower the youths in the Niger Delta region through various training programmes and equip them with necessary skills for participation in nation building. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Stephen Oru said this in Calabar during the graduation ceremony of 100 youths who were trained to assemble and repair smart phones and computer tablets by his ministry on Thursday. 

The Minister said that majority of  the first batch of 100 youths earlier trained in the assembly and repairs of smartphones and tablet computers are now in gainful ventures, employing and training other youths for the benefit of the society. He disclosed that:  “35 of the first batch of trainees have been absorbed by MINDA Technologies Ltd;  Calabar, while the remaining ones have successfully established their own businesses and are doing well.”

Dr. Oru  pointed out that in addition to the training of these 200 youths, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs had trained other 701 non-militant youths of the Niger Delta region in various fields including Oil and Gas, Maritime, ICT and Agriculture. He emphasised that the federal government had various schemes for tackling unemployment in the country noting that: “No country can expect peace and progress when its youths are kept idle, angry and unfulfilled.  It is a recipe for unrest and disaster.”

The Minister urged the graduating trainees to become role models for other youths by making  good use of the knowledge they acquired,  thereby justifying the huge investment the federal government made in training them through the capacity building programme  of the Ministry, which he said was part of the Transformation Agenda of the Administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mrs Fatima Bamidele has said the Ministry had restructured its training programmes to equip the beneficiaries with the capacity to be self-employed,  instead of churning out jobs seekers. 

She said that the new concept places emphasis on vocational training tailored to providing  trainees with the essentialial skills and competencies they need to become economically active players in the chosen sector of the economy at the end of their training programmes.

The Permanent Secretary noted: “The transformation and reorientation of the dynamic and highly talented youths of the Niger Delta region into well-equipped, empowered and progressive persons, participating and engaging in productive economic activities geared towards regional and national development,  is the main focus of the Ministry.”

Mrs. Bamidele noted that the training programmes have contributed in reducing poverty, youths restiveness,  widened participation in economic activities, boosted income generation opportunities,  contributed in reducing crimes and checked rural-urban migration. 

She disclosed that a batch of 300 trainees would soon benefit from a similar training programme at the Ministry’s Skills Acquisition Centre in Otuoke,  Bayelsa state.