By Leonard Okachie
Umuahia – The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has disturbed resettlement loans as tools and cash to 11 graduates of its 2018 Environmental Beautification Training Scheme (EBTS) in Abia.
The NDE Coordinator in Abia, Mrs Chijioke Uzoatuegwu, presented the package to the beneficiaries during a ceremony at its state office in Umuahia, on Thursday.
Uzoatuegwu said that the 11 beneficiaries, out of the 50 that were trained under the scheme, were selected for the loan.
According to her, five of them were trained on Plasta of Paris (POP), three in soft landscaping, while the remaining three acquired their skills in hard landscaping.
She urged the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunities and ensure that they repaid their loan in due time.
“The remaining 39 among the 50 of you that we have trained will be waiting for you to repay your loans so that we can also attend to them.
“Please put the loan into work; do not sell what you have been given. Help us to create more jobs through this opportunity that has been given to you,’’ the coordinator said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that some of the items disbursed included: wheelbarrows, shovels, hoes, head pans, POP cutting machines, diggers, water pump generators, hand rakes, among others.
The Director-General of NDE, Dr Nasiru Argungu, while congratulating the beneficiaries, said that they were among 416 youths selected out of the 1,850 trained under the 2018 EBTS of the Directorate nationwide.
Argungu, who was represented by Mr Anthony Okum, the Deputy Director, Special Public Works, said the initiative was aimed at helping youths unlock their potentials as leaders; and taking the country into the future.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Sympathy Eze, who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries, commended NDE and President Muhammadu Buhari, for the kind gesture.
“We are no longer going to be job seekers; rather employers of labour,’’ Eze said.
(NAN)
