NDE Empowers 50 Vulnerable Persons

The Rivers State office of National Directorate for Employment (NDE), has commenced a skills acquisition programme to train 50 vulnerable persons, including the physically challenged and prostitutes in various trades and crafts in the state.

The programme according to the State Director of NDE, Alabo Napoleon Amachree will last for three months and covers skills such as soap making, fashion designing, computer appreciation, bead and hat making, shoe making among others.

Speaking during an orientation programme for selected beneficiaries made up of 30 persons with special needs on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the NDE Director assured them of government’s commitment to making the programme a success.

“Beneficiaries will be trained at centres close to them”, Alabo Amachree disclosed,” and we will make sure that those centres are friendly to trainees because of their condition”.

The programme he further stated will run for three months ending in February next year and will be accompanied with stipends to assist the trainees, adding that after the exercise they will be resettled to start their own businesses.

Alabo Amachree remarked, “this is a programme the federal government under President Goodluck Jonathan has initiated to reduce the plight of those with special needs in the country”.

Also speaking, Assistant Director of NDE, Mr Felix Kpegasin counselled the beneficiaries to be punctual at their training centres, and warned them from truancy as special monitor will visit their centres to assess the programme.

Meanwhile, Director of the Directorate of Employment (NDE) in River State, Alabo Amachree has called on the 23 local government areas of the state to float a special employment scheme for their youths.

The NDE Director in an exclusive chat with The Tide recently blamed the rising youth restiveness and crime to inability of local councils to engage the youths in meaningful ventures stating that the agency has opened local offices manned by its staffers.

He also tasked government to fulfill its promise on stablising power provision,” with stable electricity we can reduce unemployment by half”, Alabo Amachree added.