From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Tuesday commenced the training of 30 unemployed youths in Kogi on Enviropreneurship Development Initiative.
The training is under its Special Public Works employment generation and wealth creation programme aimed at empowering unemployed youths to be self-reliant.
Speaking at the orientation and sensitization ceremony for the participants, the Director-General of National Directorate of Employment, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, said that the training is targeted at converting hitherto waste materials into useful finished products to improve upon the socio-economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries.
The Director-General who was represented by the Kogi state Coordinator of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Zakari said that there is abundant wealth in the waste materials in any given environment.
Fikpo who reminded the trainees of the saying that there is dignity in labour, assured that after the three months intensive training, participants will become potential Enviropreneurs.
In his welcome address, the Head of Special Public Works Department of Kogi NDE, Mr. Toyin Ajibade charged the benefitting youths to avail themselves of the opportunity which he said will surely make them to be self-reliant and employers of labour.
He said that the training will also give them the capacity to contribute their quota to the development of their immediate communities.
Ajibade affirmed that White Collar Jobs are not enough to accommodate the growing number of unemployed graduates on yearly basis hence the need to embrace the rare privilege offered them by the federal government through the NDE.
To facilitate effective programme implementation and delivery in Kogi state, Miss Deborah Uyo Okpanachi Staff of NDE headquarters, was in the state to conduct compliance check on the participants of Enviropreneurship Development Scheme.
Responding on behalf of the participants, Mr. Bola Omoniyi, thanked the federal government and NDE for the gesture which he promised would be judiciously utilised.
“We will reciprocate the gesture by making good use of the job creation knowledge acquired during the training” he assured.