The Federal Government has empowered 335 women and youths of the Niger Delta region with N100.5 million starter packs in line with its determination to address the problem of unemployment in the region.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Usani Usani made the disclosure at the graduation ceremony of the participants.
According to him, each trainee received N300, 000 as starter pack.
A statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Mr. Stephen Kilebi, issued in Abuja on Saturday, quoted the minister who was represented by the Deputy Director, Economic Empowerment Department of the Ministry, Mr. Philip Ndiomu as saying that the skills acquisition programme had paid off.
The training programme covered poultry, fishery, confectionery, tiling and landscaping.
He said: “Women and youths have been economically empowered, bringing the much needed peace, stability, socio- economic and infrastructural development to the region.
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“It also complemented President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s efforts towards addressing unemployment and poverty in the country.”
Usani commended the facilitators of the two-week training programme saying the knowledge and skills they had impacted on the trainees would change their socio-economic lives and contribute to the human capital development agenda of the Federal Government.
He also commended the participants for their perseverance and peaceful conduct throughout their stay at the training locations and urged them to take advantage of the knowledge and showcase the skills acquired to become self reliant.
Usani, who later presented certificates to the trainees, said that the Federal Government gave them the starter pack as a means of empowerment to enable them take off.
The Director Community Development and Education in the Ministry, Mrs Lauren Braide, represented by her Assistant Director, Mr. Goodluck Oyinvwe, advised the participants to use the knowledge they had acquired to become employers of labour.
One of the training facilitators and representative of Reg. Morrison Ltd, Miss Esther Njoku commended the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for giving them thd opportunity to empower and contribute to the success story of the participants.
