By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
No fewer than 36 graduate trainees of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, on Friday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, beneffited from the starter packs largesse released to the trainees by the management of the NDE.
The initiative is part of Federal Government’s effort to tackle the high rate of unemployment that bedeviled the national populace in recent times.
The starter packs, which include: sewing machines, power generators, electrical installation equipment, hair dressing and barbing salon euqipment, vulnizing machines, tailoring and fashion designing equipment and others, are what the officials of the NDE said would assist the beneficiaries of the community-based training scheme, CBTS, and make them become self reliant and also become employers of labour.
Distributing the starter packs at the Calabar Federal Secretariat to the beneficiaries, the Director General of the NDE, Ahaji Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo stated that the initiative is aimed at empowering unemployed youth with skills, that would enhanced their small scale enterprises.
Represented by the Cross River State Cordinator of NDE, Mr. Udam Gabriel, the DG advised beneficiaries of the scheme to utilize the items properly.
The NDE DG maintained that the items given to the graduate trainees should not be seen as a national cake, but a loan of N120,000 that would be repaid with a nine per cent interest under the period of three years, so that the NDE can used the money to assist other owners of small scale businesses too.
The DG stressed that following the directorate’s determination to tackle the escalating unemployment rate, it decided to embarked on youth training in the area of different skills acquisition across the local government areas of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the 36 graduate trainees, one of the youths from Obubra Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Emmanuel David, lauded the Federal Government for initiating the scheme, adding that the items which are worth millions of naira would be put in proper use so that the loan can be repaid.
He said that the trainees are aware that the N130,000, which includes 9 percent interest at N4000 monthly repayment, can be achieved through hardwork and dedication to duty..
David said, “To defray the debt of N130,000 within a period of 3 years should not be a problem. I promised to work very hard to ensure that the money can be repaid back to my creditors.
“I promised to re-double my effort in the loan repayment. With hardwork and sincererity, anybody who got the loan can afford to do repayment.”
Also peaking, Vocational Skill Development Officer, VSDO, NDE headquarters Abuja, Ibrahim Haroon Danjuma, said, “The starter packs given out today is for benefiaries of the Community-Based Training Scheme for unemployed youths, who were trained for a period of three months in various skills.
“After the training, serious ones were picked and given items worth N120,000 to be repaid within three years with nine percent interest.”
