By Idris Khalid
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced a three-month training for 1,300 unemployed youths in Bauchi state on different entrepreneurial skills.
Speaking at the commencement of the orientation programme for the participants in Bauchi yesterday, NDE Director-General Dr. Nasir Ladan Argungu said the exercise was part of the Federal Government’s determination to tackle unemployment in the country.
He explained that the 1,300 recruited youths would be trained under the ‘Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme’ (B-NOAS) of the directorate
Dr. Argungu who was represented by the Bauchi state coordinator of the NDE, Lawan Yaya, said that the 50 youths were recruited across the 20 local government areas of the state, revealing that additional 300 were later recruited.
“This is Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme and we run it for three months where we recruit individuals from different LGAs.
“Specifically on this one, we recruited 50 individuals from each of the 20 LGAs in Bauchi state, making it 1000”, he further disclosed.
He however said that additional 200 women were recruited for cosmetology and 100 for special B-NOAS, making 1,300 in total.
Argungu, who enumerated some of the skills to be acquired as tailoring, automechanics, hairdressing, soap making, among others, said that the beneficiaries would be given the sum of N6,000 as transport fare for the period of three months.
“This, I believe would also help in motivating them to be actively involved in the training,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Jemila Suleiman from Vocational Skills Development Department, NDE headquarters, said that the aim of the training was to impart marketable skills to the trainees.
She advised them to take the training very seriously, adding that it would help them to become self-reliant and employer of labour.
Malam Mujahid Muhammad Sulaiman, one of the beneficiaries from Toro local government area of the state, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, appreciated the Federal Government and NDE for the kind gesture.
