From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Director-General of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo has attributed the rising insecurity across the country to high rate of unemployment with a vow to tackle the menace headlong.
The Director-General said that the efforts of his Directorate to achieve the feat would be realised through its numerous skills acquisition programmes for the unemployed youths.
Fikpo while flagging off the presentation of tools/equipment and disbursement of cash components to 50 Artisans, 73 unemployed graduates and 45 others in Lokoja, told the beneficiaries that the scheme is aimed at boosting their capacity to sustain their livelihood.
The Director-General who was represented by the Kogi State Coordinator of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Zakari, commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration for its commitment in the fight against unemployment which has being the main brain behind insecurity, social vices and youth restiveness in Nigeria.
He urged the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the tools/equipment given to them to embark on their various trades and vocation.
In his remark, the facilitator of the programme from NDE headquarters, Abuja, Engineer Philips Momoh told the beneficiaries that the facilities provided them is a loan which must be repaid to enable others yet to benefit have access to the scheme.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Ayodele Joseph hailed the NDE for considering them to be part of its empowerment scheme.
He promised that they would ensure judicious use of the resettlement items and skills acquired at the end of the training.
Meanwhile, the NDE has commenced a 5-day training and sensitization on entrepreneurship strategies for 50 unemployed youths in Kogi state.
The training is aimed at providing the trainees with technical knowledge on how to write a bankable feasibility study, mimic market situation and how to raise start-up capital.
Speaking during the flag off ceremony held in Lokoja, yesterday, the Director-General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo who was represented by the Kogi State NDE Coordinator, Mallam Abubakar Zakari, reiterated the resolve of the federal government to lift over 100 million unemployed youths in Nigeria out of poverty.
The Director-General urged the trainees to make good use of the opportunity offered them by government to better their livelihood.
Mrs. Aliyu Salma Zakari while responding on behalf of the trainees, praised the NDE for its untiring task to fight the monster called unemployment in the country.
She urged her colleagues to take the training very serious inorder to add value to their respective homes and the nation at large.