The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) weekend launched the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative for 3,318 youth in Akwa Ibom state
The programme is aimed at providing skills, training and job placement opportunities for unskilled and unemployed youth in the state.
The director general of NDE, Mr. Silas Agara, stated this during the flag off of the initiative in Uyo weekend.
Blueprint reports that the initiative is carried out by NDE in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Represented by the Akwa Ibom state coordinator of NDE, Mrs Uduak Essien, the DG said the initiative is part of the NDE’s efforts to address unemployment in Nigeria, and its aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Agara added that a minimum of 10 persons from each of the 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria have been recruited.
He said the beneficiaries will undergo training in over 30 different skill sets, including public works, vocational training, small and medium enterprises, and agricultural programs.
The DG further noted that out of 93,731 persons currently enrolling in the programme, 40,000 will be receiving training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and digital skills.
“The Renewed Hope Employment Initiative is our modest short term effort at checking the scourge of unemployment in Nigeria.
“The current employment initiative has been designed to engage a total of 93,731 unskilled and unemployed persons across Nigeria.
“Various categories of the unskilled and unemployed have been provided for within the framework of the programme such as school leavers, school dropout, women, graduates of tertiary institutions, retirees and persons with special needs among others.
“In furtherance of the deployment of ICT in our operations, I am delighted to inform you that 40,000 out of the 93,731 persons enrolled in this programme will be receiving training in ICT and digital skills.”
Agara added that a good number of the beneficiaries will be resettled into productive entrepreneurial lives through the provisions of tools, equipment and startup capital, adding those who may not be resettled will be linked with credit granting institutions for further support.
