No fewer than 1,500 youths from the Niger Delta region are to be trained in various skill acquisition programmes of the Federal Government in 2019. This is said to be part of government’s efforts at increasing the human capital development in the country as well as check agitations and unrest, particularly in the Niger Delta zone.
The Chief Consultant, Siegener Sabithos Nigeria Limited, Dr Tunde Anifowose-Kelani, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen shortly after the graduation ceremony of 30 youths from the Niger Delta, in Ibadan, at the weekend.The ceremony was held at the Assembly Hall of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.The youths were trained in fish production, farming, information communication technology, business development and entrepreneurial skills.Anifowose-Kelani said that the empowerment programme was not only a means of fast tracking development but an avenue to actualise the human capital development programmes of the federal government.“This empowerment programme is not only means of fast tracking development of the entire region, but one of the ways to actualise the federal government’s human capital development programme.“It is the belief of the federal government that in addition to infrastructure, human capital development is quite, vital and essential for the growth and development of any nation. Most of the crises we have in Nigeria today are as a result of the long time neglect of human capital development,” he said.While commending the initiative by the federal government as well as the commitment of the Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Usani Uguru Usani, to the programme, Anifowose-Kelani charged the graduating youths to replicate whatever they might have benefited from the training in their respective communities for the overall development of their people.In his short remarks, the Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Prof. Kazeem Adebiyi, urged the participants to make judicious use of the knowledge and opportunity availed them by the programme.“By this training, you have acquired the best of the skills and knowledge. It is now left to you to utilize the skills and competences you have acquired to uplift yourselves, your people and transform the country.“The skills which you have possessed are the tools you will need to make a name for yourselves. Therefore, think big but start small. Do not procrastinate as postponement is the biggest enemy of business entrepreneurship,” Adebiyi said.In his remarks, one of the participants, Mr. Ransome Esu, expressed appreciation to the federal government for the opportunity given them to learn some skills that would make them self-sufficient, thereby contributing their own quota towards national development.He particularly commended the practical aspect of the training which he said had broaden their horizon and enhanced their better understanding.Esu pledged on behalf of the participants that they would not disappoint the federal government and the minister, adding that the money given them after the training would be judiciously utilized.
FG to train 1,500 Niger Delta youths in 2019 skill acquisition
