From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has flagged off a jobs initiative for 2,827 unemployed youths in Benue State.
The Director General of NDE, Silas Agara, who performed the exercise in Makurdi, said a total of 93,731 unemployed persons are set to undergo jobs initiative training across the federation in a practical demonstration of the agency’s commitment to fighting unemployment in the country.
Agara, who was represented by the Benue State Coordinator of NDE, Apochi Ubah, explained that the move was a core deliverable of the Renewed Hope Agenda Mass Employment Initiative brought to Nigerians by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The National Directorate of Employment recruited a total of 93,731 unemployed persons across Nigeria, with Benue alone having 2,827 beneficiaries.
“These beneficiaries are to undergo vocational, agricultural, and entrepreneurial skills training, including transient job opportunities in the public works sector, using over 30 different skill sets.”
The NDE boss itemised the skills to include fashion designing, hairdressing, catering, GSM repairs, leatherworks, food processing techniques for women, and fish poultry, among others. He also mentioned the Graduate Attachment Programme (GAP), where unemployed graduates who have completed their national service would be attached to corporate organisations for a period of six months.
He added that the job creation initiative of the NDE aligns with six out of the eight priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda. He stressed that start-up capital, equipment, and working tools would be provided to deserving participants at the end of the training, while others would be linked to credit-granting institutions to access loans to commence medium or large-scale businesses.