Judex Okoro, Calabar
National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has empowered at least 1,000 women and youths with vocation skills in Cross River State.
The NDE skills acquisition was intended to build employability, a crucial factor in the attainment of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the Federal Government.
The trainees were drawn from the 18 local governemnt areas of the state and would be trained in the area of cosmetology.
Speaking during the orientation exercise in Calabar, the director-general of the NDE, Dr. Nasiru Mohammed, said the directorate had a mandate of strategically using training, followed by resettlement, as a tool to empower youths with marketable skills, and addressing the skills miss-match arising from the nation’s educational institutions, hence promoting decent employment opportunities.
Mohammedl said the trainees would be the next generation of cosmetologists, fashion designers, computer operators, event managers and barbers, adding that, before long, they would, through the multiplier effect, create several thousands of other jobs, thereby impacting the real sector of the economy.
According to him, “In using skills acquisition as a tool for employability and poverty reduction, not only wealth would be created but a sure path to sustainable national growth and development.
“The issue of youth unemployment has been of grave concern to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and he has demonstrated clearly his determination to empower youths through articulated programmes.
“The use of skills acquisition to build employability is crucial for attainment of the ERGP.
“Vocational skills are central to human survival, to sustenance and satisfaction of basic human needs and also a vehicle to re-assert one’s own dignity.
“I would urge the youths within Cross River to take this wonderful opportunity at their doorstep to make themselves useful to their families, communities and nation,” the DG said.
He, however, warned the staffers of the NDE in state offices to effectively manage the huge taxpayers’ fund invested in NDE’s empowerment projects.
In his remarks, the Cross River State coordinator of the NDE, Mr. Gabriel Udam, said the event marked yet another milestone in the continuous efforts of the Federal Government, through the directorate, to curb the unemployment scourge in Nigeria.
Udam further disclosed that the 2020 training would involve youths from the 18 local government areas of the state.
He charged the trainees to put in their best to justify the investment of government in the exercise, while urging them to report for training punctually and regularly, obey the trainers religiously and make known their challenges to their trainers or NDE state offices, where necessary.