KEFFI (NASARAWA) – The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Nasarawa State says that N16.1 million has been disbursed to 420 graduate trainees in the state between 2001 and 2014.
The state NDE Coordinator, Alhaji Idris Wase, made the disclosure to newsmen in Keffi.
Wase said that the resettlement scheme is a community-based training scheme designed to provide short term intensive training to unemployed youths and women.
“NDE came in to existence in 1986, saddled with the responsibilities of training people, especially the youths and women in different skills and make them self-reliant nationwide.
“The Federal Government has established the scheme to fight the high rate of unemployment and poverty which has degenerated into anti-social activities such as violent crimes, insecurity, armed robbery, drug and human trafficking among others.
“From 2001 to date under the resettlement scheme, the agency has disbursed tools and equipment worth N16.14 million to more than 420 graduate trainees in order to assist them to establish businesses and become self-reliant.
“The graduate trainees has been trained in different skills such as barbing, tailoring, hand set repair, blacksmithing, hairdressing, knitting, painting, photography and video coverage among others,” he said.
Wase commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his support to the programme aimed at fighting poverty, unemployment and reduction of youths’ restiveness nationwide.
He assured the people of the state of the agency’s determination to initiate positive strategies geared toward managing their peculiar poverty, unemployment and youths restiveness.
The state coordinator also urged Nigerians, especially youths to embrace different skills that would make them self-reliant and employers of labour.