The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has launched a clarion call to youths in the Niger Delta region to take advantage of its special training program aimed at equipping them with entrepreneurship skills. This initiative, inaugurated on Monday in Port Harcourt, is designed to empower young people in various fields, including automobile, craftsmanship, medicine, maritime, agriculture, and technology, among others.
Governing Board Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, emphasized that selected participants would receive a monthly stipend of N50,000 to acquire skills and become entrepreneurs or employable. He encouraged youths to register for the free training at https://nyis.nddc.gov.ng, noting that eligibility is limited to individuals aged 45 years and below.
Ebie warned against age falsification, stating that measures are in place to detect such practices. He also assured us that provisions had been made for physically challenged persons. The program includes connecting participants with businesses seeking interns and establishing a monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework to ensure transparency and measure success.
NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, commended the youths for refusing to participate in the ongoing EndBadGovernance protest, describing the empowerment program as a carefully planned initiative captured in the commission’s N1.9 trillion annual budget. He reiterated the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to developing the Niger Delta region.
Dr. Ogbuku also warned beneficiaries to conduct themselves properly or face expulsion, emphasizing that quarterly reports would monitor participants’ behavior. He stated, “We want the youths to take advantage of this… Your conduct is the only guarantee that can sustain you in this scheme… If you are indicted of bad conduct, you would be taken out of the scheme.”
Ogbuku highlighted the transparency of the process, assuring equal distribution of benefits among states based on crude oil production quota. He explained that each state would have a flat rate of 500 participants before production quota and distribution are considered.
The selection process, he noted, would be based on the eventuality of states and quota of production, ensuring fairness and equality. Ogbuku also stated that the scheme’s portal is hosted on six servers to prevent crashes, assuring that the database is strong and fully prepared for the program.
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He added, “We are going to engage other agencies of government that are relevant to such programs to partner with them to ensure that whatever our quota is, we must get.” This initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s approval of a N50,000 monthly stipend for 10,000 Niger Delta youths for 12 months, as disclosed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on July 31.
It bears mentioning that by seizing this opportunity, Niger Delta youths can acquire valuable skills, become entrepreneurs, and contribute to the region’s development.
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