Kelvin Obambon|25 March 2018
In line with its mandate to transform the lives of people in the Niger Delta region of the country, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has organized skill acquisition training and empowerment programme for unemployed youths in Cross River State NegroidHaven can report.
The graduation and convocation ceremony for the first batch of beneficiaries who have successfully completed their training took place yesterday at the University of Calabar Conference Centre, Calabar.
The trainees who are mostly unemployed youths from across the 18 local government areas of the state, were trained in poultry and fishery production, packaging and marketing and other agricultural value chain.
At the completion of the training, which lasted for 10 days, beneficiaries were given starter pack, including capital to enable them become actively self-employed by setting up their own micro and small scale businesses, in line with the training they have received.
Addressing the graduands, the minister of state for Niger Delta, Prof. Omole Daramola, represented by Mrs Lauren Braide, a director in the ministry, congratulated graduands for the successful completion of their training and urged them to put to good use the skills and knowledge acquired during the training so as to improve and better their lives.
Prof. Daramola stated that the programme is one of the initiatives of the Federal Government aimed at diversification of the economy and ensure food security.
''This is one of the initiatives of the present administration aimed at diversifying the economy, increasing food security and creating employment for our teeming youths in the Niger Delta region.
'Permit me to remind you that the training and empowerment package was put together for the purpose of imparting theoretical and practical knowledge on poultry and fishery production and other value chain; enabling you manage incentives for effective enterprise development.'' he said.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with our correspondent, expressed delight and gratitude to the Federal Government and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the life changing opportunity given them. They however pledged to make judicious use of the capital disbursed to them, as they hope to become employers of labour in the foreseeable future.
The ceremony saw a total of 180 graduands convocated and awarded certificates as proof of participation in the training exercise.
Kelvin Obambon
Blogs for NegroidHaven
