No fewer than 200 youths are to be trained by the state government in various skills as part of this year’s “One Youth, One Skill” empowerment programme.
The areas of training include Cosmetology, Barbing,Shoe Making/Leather works,Confectioneries and Solar/CCTV Installation.
Flagging off the fourth batch of the programme in Awka, the State Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Prof Theresa Obiekezie, said trainees would be examined and certified at the end of training duration.
“One Youth One Skill Training is a yearly empowerment programme of the state government for the youth of the state.
“The Programme aims at efficiently engaging and furnishing the youths with skills and intellects that will improve their quality of living,” Prof Obiekezie said.
The Commissioner explained that fifty best candidates in this year’s programme would be equipped with starter packs to run their own businesses.
She urged youths to learn trade skill to be free from prevailing unemployment and become entrepreneurs which in turn would make them employers of labour.
In a remark,a Guest Speaker, Dr Ike Ume,highlighted the need for budding entrepreneurs to inject innovations that could enable them compete favourable in modern day businesses.
Dr Ume,who is Chief Executive Officer, Pacent Technologies Ltd,identified honesty,savings and investment culture, strategic planning,packaging as some of the prerequisites to excel in business and efficient service delivery.
The Deputy Director, ICT, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Azubike Aniedu,in his goodwill message, stated that knowledge and skill could drive youths out of restiveness.
He pointed out that in a depressed economy as being experienced in the nation ,knowledge and skill hold the key for economic sustainability even as the nation churns out over 66,000 graduates yearly.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Louisa Ezeanya, enjoined the trainees to use the opportunity offered by the state government to lift themselves out of poverty and joblessness.
She encouraged them to take the training seriously as a stepping stone for greater future exploits,adding that God created every human with potentials that could be utilized to achieve set goals.
Some of the trainees including Miss Judith Okpala,Victor Ume,Ukamaka Uzoezie and Hyginus Anyaso commended the state government for considering them proper to benefit from the programme.
