Federal Government has trained and empowered another batch of 129 Youths and Women, on different vocational skills in Commercial Fish Farming, Poultry and Tilling & Landscaping Technology, to curtail the rate of unemployment, youth’s restiveness and other vices in the Niger Delta region.
The Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON, who was represented by the Director, Community Development and Education Department (CDE), Mrs. Lauren Braide, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the Training and Empowerment programme held in Ibadan Polytechnic in Oyo State, at the weekend.
The programme according to the Director, was aimed at encouraging the growth and development of micro and small businesses, such as provision of farming tillers to support agricultural mechanization, ease the drudgery associated with land preparation for farming and provision of fishing gears (nets, hooks, lines, sinkers) amongst others.
She noted that participants were not only provided with skills but also knowledge in entrepreneurship that would impact on their abilities to explore the larger financial system that would transform their businesses into successful enterprises.
Mrs. Braide said that the Ministry would monitor the progress of the beneficiaries periodically to provide guidance and mentorship, adding that the Ministry would in due course identify entrepreneur champions from the participants, to celebrate their successes with the view to showcasing the abundant potentials that abound in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking further, she said in a bid to support agro-processing activities and Community Development and Education, the Ministry has established a number of cassava and palm processing plants in the Niger Delta region.
In her words,” if you have come from any of the benefiting communities, seize the opportunity provided to promote cluster farming in those enterprises “.
In his opening remarks, the Director Economic Empowerment Department (EED), Mr. Ibrahim Akanya, said the objective of the empowerment programme is to expand the efforts of Mr. President to promote the socio economic development of the Niger Delta region and ensure that no one is left behind, explaining that the selection process is done based on merit.
He advised the participants to make good use of their capital to establish themselves in businesses they were trained, instead of wasting it on frivolous things.
In his remarks, the Consultant, Dr. Ben Onoriode Irikefe, commended the Hon. Ministers, Permanent Secretary and the Federal Government, for giving them the opportunity to contribute their quota to the social economic development of the region.
In a related development, the Ministry in collaboration with the Consultant of Siegeners Sabithos, Dr. Tunde Anifowose Kelani, also trained another batch of 109 participants in Oil & Gas, Mobile Phone Assemblage & Maintenance, Fishery and Poultry in the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.
He thanked the Federal government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammed Buhari, for approving the life changing opportunity for Nigerians, noting that it has placed premium on human capacity for development and entrepreneurship.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the outstanding graduand of the empowerment programme / Class Representative on Poultry, Miss Olufunmi Olashinde, commended the Ministry for its life changing programme and promised that beneficiaries will judiciously put the stipend given to great use.
Deworitshe Patricia
D (Press & PR)
