Maduako Igbokwe l Friday, January 13, 2023
AWKA, Anambra – In its bid to unlock the potentials of our teeming unemployed youths to maximize their potentials, the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, has provided 26 business opportunities for unemployed youths in Anambra state in order to promote the economic sustainability of the state.
This was done through resettlement loans by the provision of working tools and cash for the 26 selected persons trained under Environmental Beautification Training Scheme, EBTS, in the state.
Speaking during the disbursement ceremony of the resettlement loans yesterday at NDE headquarters, Amawbia, Awka South local government area of the state, the Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo said the beneficiaries were equipped with in-demand skills sought for in the construction industry.
The DG, who was represented by the Acting Zonal Director of NDE, Mr. Edmond Onwuliri noted that this would be a floodgate to explore diverse opportunities to provide services to projects in the construction sector.
According to him, ” Some of these services include environmental renewal, sanitation, protection and beautification, ornamentation to finishing of structures, grassing and ornamental tree planting, habitat conservation amongst others.
” The NDE has been strongly supportive and has consistently invested in the youths of this country. At this instance, the Directorate has used the EBTS initiative to offer her youthful school leavers, employability skills and experiential learning that transfer hard and soft landscaping skills to them through the on-the-job training while serving on attachment with experienced landscaping master trainers in the informal sector.
” Today’s milestone is a demonstration of NDE’s support to youth investments as she has provided requisite tools and cash to 26 graduates of EBTS in Anambra state to start and grow their businesses as budding landscaping service operators.
“In doing so, will boost job creation and spur the youths to contribute their quota to the national economy.”
Also speaking, the Anambra State Coordinator of NDE, Mrs. Chika Ufelle encouraged the beneficiaries to always imbibe the culture of discipline, long hours at work, perseverance, continuous learning and improvement and good customer relationship in order to be successful as self-employed business owners.
She equally reminded them to repay the loan as at when due in accordance with the loan repayment schedule they were given.
” I wish to express the appreciation of the NDE to our master trainers who assisted to impart knowledge, skills, the right motivation and job competences to our trainees.” Ufelle remarked.
Advising the 26 beneficiaries by one of the distinguished guests, the former Minister for Women Affairs, Mrs. Iyom Josephine Anenih recalled that the expected handwork of the youths towards the improvement of national economy was what gave birth to the introduction of NDE.
She therefore urged the youths to withdraw from their upward thinking to downward realities of purpose in order to achieve the expected self-dependent by being self-employed.
One of the beneficiaries, Stanley Anunobi expressed his gratitude to NDE management for the assistance given to them, adding that, ” we shall make good use of the opportunity and represent NDE as good ambassadors.”
Some of the materials distributed are water pumping machines, shovels, barrows, hand gloves, headpans, trollers among others.
