NDE inaugurates school-on-wheels scheme

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), on Tuesday, inaugurated its School-On-Wheels Skills Acquisition Empowerment Scheme for unemployed youths and women in Kogi.

The NDE Director General, Mr Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo, who flagged off the programme, said that the scheme "is a mobile training workshop that is usually deployed to rural areas where there are no competent Master craftsmen to serve as trainers to impart skills on the unemployed.

"This training workshop is put in place to make the beneficiaries productive and self-sustaining.

"The NDE is saddled with the responsibility of designing and ensuring the implementation of job creation programmes that will promote attitudinal change, employment generation, reduce poverty and enhance wealth creation", he stressed.

The DG, who was represented by the Kogi state Coordinator, Mr Abubakar Zakari, charged the participants to take the training serious to develop themselves and be self reliant for the betterment of their families.

Earlier, in her address of welcome, the Vocational Skills Development Offer (VSDO), Mrs Lydia Opaluwa, urged the trainees to take their destinies in their hands by ensuring the judicious use of the privilege.

Also speaking, Mr. Charles Aye, NDE facilitator of the programme from the headquarters, charged the participants to embrace the federal government's efforts in investing heavily on the productivity of its citizens.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Mr. Haruna Danjuma-Hayatu, expressed gratitude to the NDE and the federal government for the good gesture.

He described the programme as "God's gift" to them in the new year and promised to be good ambassadors of the scheme and the directorate.