Gov Sani Bello Unveils Skills Acquisition Programmes; Pays 50 Million As Grants To 1000

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Gov Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State
By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
No fewer than 5000 youth from across Niger State are expected to be trained in various vocational skills spheres by the state government before the end of the year as part of the government’s skills for job empowerment initiatives.

The state government has earlier trained one thousand youths selected from different wards of the state on the technology of moulding ground interlocking tiles and blocks and on how to lay them.
On Thursday, the state government disbursed a grant of fifty million naira, (50 Million) to the 1000 youths. Each of them received fifty thousand naira as start off grant.
Governor Bello said the new batch of 5000 youths to be trained in the months ahead would be selected from the 25 local government areas of the state and they would be trained and empowered under the government’s Youth Development and Empowerment Scheme.
Speaking yesterday, (Thursday) at the disbursement of the grants to the beneficiaries, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said his administration is committed to address youths’ unemployment and it’s security implications in the state.
He explained that the youths trained on how to make interlocking tiles and blocks were selected from the band of the unemployed adding that the initiative has paid up as the beneficiaries were now well equipped and empowered to be self reliant.
Governor Bello expressed satisfaction with the initiative and noted that the intervention was paying off well. “We had a social contract with our youths and we are committed to fulfilling our part of the contract, hence the priority given to this critical stakeholder in the 2017 budget.”
He disclosed that his administration had designed various programmes aimed at encouraging, empowering and equipping youths across the state to make productive and important segment of the population.
He said besides those trained, issued with certificates and empowered, another batch of 250 youths were currently being trained on different trades skills as well as another set of 1,500 youths selected from across the 25 local government areas to commence skill acquisition training as soon the second batch gets through with their programme.
The Governor expressed optimism that at the end of the various training programmes, unemployment amongst youths would have been drastically reduced. “I think we are we are making progress. Hopefully before the end of this year some 5,000 youths would have been engaged in meaningful ventures.”
While assessing the impact of the scheme so far, Governor Bello said the initiatives were becoming popular and acceptable amongst the citizens, young and old.
He said the level of interest shown on the programmes and the zeal with which the youths were keying into the programmes to actualise their self reliance were encouraging.
“I am particularly delighted that the engagement of these youth have led to drastical reduction in youth restiveness and other social vices in our various communities” Governor Bello said.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator of the State Youth Skill Acquisition Scheme, Alhaji Nma Kolo, had commended the efforts of the Governor in empowering the youths from across the state.
Kolo noted that the empowerment programmes were life time opportunities that would prepare the beneficiaries for future challenges and make them self reliant.
Leader of the trained youths for interlocking tiles and blocks making, Aliyu Bala commended the Governor for exposing them to a new lease of life.
He, on behalf of his team assured the Governor and the state of their resolve to remain productive and useful to the state and humanity.

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