Port Harcourt – Beneficiaries of various skills acquisition programmes have described the training as commendable and called for improved funding to sustain them.
The beneficiaries in the South-South geopolitical zone, made the call during a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the condition of vocational training centres in the zone.
This is part of a national survey to determine the functionality, achievements and constraints of such centres as the Federal Government strives to tackle the menace of unemployment in the country.
The beneficiaries and some state coordinators of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), underscored the importance of adequate funding, to make the programme sustainable.
Chibuisi Nwokeocha, a 24-year-old beneficiary of the NDE vocational training in Rivers, told NAN in Port Harcourt on Sunday that said he was trained in plumbing and pipe fitting, adding that he was determined to make a good living with his new skill.
“I appreciate the training in plumbing and pipe fitting. I am optimistic that with the new skill/trade, I will make a good living and God willing, train others.
“I urge the Federal Government to increase funding for the NDE to train more youths on different vocations and skills. This, I believe, will help to reduce unemployment, create jobs, wealth and keep youths busy,” he said.
Twenty-two Leah Mark, another beneficiary of the training, who was trained in hair dressing, expressed the hope that she would excel in her new vocation.
“The training is good for me and other youths. I am now in a position to set up my own hair dressing saloon, earn a living and train others in my community,” she said.
The state NDE Coordinator in Rivers State, Mr Nnamdi Asomugha, said that the directorate had trained more than 2,000 youths in the state on different vocations and skills from 2012 to 2016.
Asomugha listed the vocations as welding and fabrication, computer operation, interior decoration, hair dressing and fashion design.
Others are catering, photo/video coverage, plumbing and pipe fitting, electrical installation and aluminium fabrication.
According to him, the trainings were facilitated by the Federal Government, adding that the trainers and beneficiaries were adequately funded.
“They were given N2,000 as monthly stipend and the Federal Government has plans to raise it to N5,000 every month,” he said.
In Bayelsa, Mr David Apakasa, the NDE Coordinator, told NAN the three vocational centres in the state are spread in the three senatorial districts of the state.
They are in Poloko, Yenagoa, Ayakoro in Ogbia and Craft Centre in Sagbama Local Government Area.
“Apart from the three vocational centres, Bayelsa also has a Youth Development Centre in Kaiama, Kolokumo/Opokuma Local Government Area.
“For proper use of these vocational centres, we normally send our experts for survey; we have visited most of them, the one in Yenagoa is functional and a lot of people are benefiting from it.
“Well, I cannot ascertain figure of people that have benefited but a lot of skill trainings are ongoing in the area; the other two centres in Sagbama and Ogbia are still lagging behind due to poor funding.
“Believe it, funding of such area of human capital development will go a long way to checkmate unemployment,” Apakasa said.
Also commenting, Mr Tari Dounana, the Chairman, Bayelsa chapter of Trade Union Congress (TUC), also stressed the need for adequate funding of the centres.
He said that the importance of vocational centres to nation building could not be over-emphasised and advised the state and local governments to give priority to the centres.
“The government should give necessary support to the centres so that the aim of the project will be achieved; it is true that the country has suffered in terms of unemployment but we cannot fold our hands.
“We must march on to build our house; if the vocational centres can be functional, a lot of youths will be properly engaged and insecurity will also reduced.’’
In Cross River, Mr Edem Duke, the state NDE Coordinator, identified funding as one of the major challenges confronting the training programme.
Duke, however, said that the office had trained no fewer than 360 Cross River youths in different vocational skills in its three training centres across the state.
According to him, three vocational skill training centres are located in each of the senatorial districts.
He said that the objective of the centres was to train unemployed youths to acquire marketable skills that would make them self-reliant.
“Between August 2015 and January 2016, we have graduated a total of 360 beneficiaries from our various training programmes.
“Some of the programmes include; computer repairs, hair dressing, hat making, cosmetology, event management, phone repairs, among others.
According to Duke, the training programme is being funded and facilitated by the Federal Government.
Mr Felix Ogabor, who benefitted from the training and now owns a phone repair shop at Marian in Calabar, said he was now reaping the benefits of the training.
Ogabor, told NAN that he had two employees in his business outfit.
At the Central Bank of Nigeria South-South Entrepreneurship Development Centre (CBN-SSEDC), beneficiaries of the vocational skills who spoke to NAN in separate interviews, said that they were doing well after the five-month intensive training.
One of them, Mrs Roseline Abang, said that she was trained in bead making at the centre for five months.
She said that she was given a soft loan of N200,000 with seven per cent interest rate spread over two years to start up her business.
“The training here has helped youths a lot in becoming self-employed. I have two employees in my business outfit and my business is booming’’, she said.
Miss Elizabeth Okon, who was trained in events management and catering, said that the training afforded her the opportunity of being independent.
Okon advised unemployed youths to look beyond white collar jobs by registering in the centre to acquire relevant skills.
Other beneficiaries of the programme also said that the training had given them an alternative source of income. (NAN)
