NDE empowers 16 trainees in Bayelsa

By Shedrack Frank

National Directorate of Employment (NDE), on Wednesday, empowered 16 of its graduate-trainees, under the Community-Based Training Scheme of its Vocational Skills Development Department (VSD).

NDE Director-General, Mallam Nuhu Fikpo, at the occasion held at Amarata, Yenagoa, said that the 16 graduands were recruited for the training on the basis of five per local government area.

Fikpo, who was represented by the Coordinator of NDE in the state, said that the trainees were monitored in terms of character and learning by their trainers and the agency’s monitoring team.

He said that they were later pruned down to two per local government area, for the empowerment.

Fikpo said that the beauty of the resettlement exercise was that the graduands went to the market, selected the best quality tools and equipment needed for the commencement of their various trades.

“The participants were trained on catering and fashion designing,” Fikpo said.

Mr Isa Abdu, represented by Mr Obinna Offia, Deputy Director, NDE Headquarters, commended the beneficiaries for scaling the rigorous criteria set for the selection of those to be resettled.

He said that the Federal Government, through NDE, gave them a revolving loan and not a grant.

Offia urged them to make good use of the equipment given to them to make them employers of labour, thereby reducing poverty and anti-social activities in the society.

Miss Faustina Obugu, a beneficiary of the empowerment, expressed gratitude to the NDE management for training and empowering them in catering.

She promised, on behalf of the others, to repay the loan.

(NAN)