ABUJA – The Chairman, Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Gen. [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
Martin-Luther Agwai, on Thursday in Abuja launched an ICT skill acquisition programme for empowerment of the physically challenged.
The News Agency of Agency (NAN) reports that the programme is being organised by SURE-P, in [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]conjunction with the University of Nigeria Nsukka Consultancy Service.
Agwai said that the inability of people with disability to compete due to non possession of relevant skills and qualifications informed the decision for the project.
“ For people with disabilities, training which should encompass skill, knowledge and attitudes, is very often the key to success in finding a job and making a living for themselves.
“Professional training, under qualified instructors, and leading if possible to some form of recognised certification, is therefore an essential pathway to gaining employment and earning livelihood,” he said.
He said that the training and empowerment programme was designed to enhance the entrepreneurial and employment prospects of people living with disability.
He said that the training would utilise Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to drive innovation, creativity and also create wealth.
The chairman said that the project, which would be a continuous process, would run in different phases.
He added that the project would also consider other areas of empowerment where the venerable could effectively play significant roles, especially in agriculture, hospitality and the creative industries.
He urged the trainees to take advantage of the project by building competitive skills which were indispensable for survival in the society.
“Your future is in your hands,’’ he said.
Agwai called on corporate organisations and development partners to identify with the project.
“ That way we can all be playing roles in reducing the spate of unemployment and at the same time, executing our corporate social responsibilities.
“You can also tap into new talents and have a chance to retrain tested, efficient and reliable people into your organisations,’’he said.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the Unversity of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Benjamin Chukwuma, represented by Prof. Polycap Chiebu, said it was the first time the university would train beneficiaries of the SURE-P project.
He said that the institution would put in its best to ensure that the trainees had a beautiful experience throughout the training period.
Chukwuma said that the SURE- P project was in line with the mission of the founding fathers of the university.
He said the training would focus on using Information and Communication Technology to equip beneficiaries.
“It is a tool to equip the vulnerable groups with technical and business skills required to take up existing vacancies and business-oriented ventures in order to be self-reliant,’’ he said.
He said that the beneficiaries would be trained in hardware maintenance, mobile device engineering, entrepreneurship, software application, Web design, programming and system networking.
NAN reports that the first phase of the project will end on March 15 with 200 beneficiaries participating.(NAN)
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