As the unemployment problem in Nigeria, continues to give the government sleepless night, the Federal Government in collaboration with the Rivers State government have concluded arrangements to train about 1000 youths in vocational programme.
Areas of concentration are basic computer appreciation, fish-farming and tiling.
Addressing trainees at a flag-off ceremony on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Commissioner for Employment and Empowerment, Dr. Ipalibo Harry said Rivers State has always seen capacity building as a major empowerment instead of money.
The Commissioner who was represented at the event by the Permanent secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Comfort Iragunima urged the beneficiaries or trainees to strive to be self-employed at the end of their training, since according to her, that is the only way to create wealth.
The Commissioner said the Rivers State government through the ministry of Employment has entered into intenership programme with other agencies to enable the youths acquire industrial experience.
Dr. Harry said trainees will be guided to access funds to enable them establish their own businesses.
In his keynote address, the Director General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Prof. Longmas Sambo Wapmuk said the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) is part of ITF’s mandate and policy directive of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) to curb skills shortages in all sectors of the economy.
Prof. Wapmuk who was represented by Mr. Abdul-Rasaq Adeniran, the Area Manager of ITF said aim of the programme is to fast-track the achievement of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) of the Federal Government’s transformation agenda, in line with vision 20: 2020.
The DG said over 23,000 youths from 23 states and the FCT have already benefited from the programme, adding that the third phase will cover 13 states, including Rivers State.
He emphasized the fact that the Federal Government will only help the graduates of the scheme to access loan from the Bank of Industry to enable them start their own small and medium scale enterprises.
Earlier, Mr. Emmanuel Isiwu, Head Training ITF, Port Harcourt had said that the training programme will be domiciled in centres across the 3 Senatorial Districts of the state.
He commended the Rivers State government for supporting the programme.
Highlight of the event was the distribution of the trainees to centres in Port Harcourt, posting of trainees for Bori and Ahoada centres was scheduled for a later date. ###
