NDE To Train 2,000 Rivers Youths

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Rivers State says about 2,000 youths, male and female are to benefit from its training schemes between now and March.
It also said about 150 persons are to benefit from Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) loan scheme tagged ,” Start Your Own Business(SYOB).
Giving a breakdown of the agency’s activities from the last quarter of 2017 to first quarter of 2018 to The Tide on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, spokesman of NDE in the state, Dumka Legenne said the new scheme will cover 600 men and 1,400 women.
The scheme is tagged,” Basic National Apprenticeship Scheme” as beneficiaries are to be trained in catering,fashion designing, electrical installations, welding and fabrication.
He said already the scheme has commenced as beneficiaries have been posted to various accredited training centres and will last for three months.
Legenne further disclosed that, “ We have attended up to 95 per cent of beneficiaries stipends, except those who abscond from trainings or gave variance account numbers.”
On the CBN/NDE loan scheme, he stated that only those who have participated in previous NDE trainings and registered business names will  benefit.
The programme is to provide loan in diverse business areas with emphasis on agriculture, the NDE information officer disclosed.
After the training, the beneficiaries are to get a loan worth about N5million, which they are expected to pay back within a specified period.
Consequently, he stated that the agency’s Special Public Works Department has floated an empowerment scheme on solar power repairs and management.
“ These days, there is a shift to alternative power and energy and NDE wants to tap into that area to provide skills. We are using this medium to urge Rivers youths to acquire skills to become less dependent and shun social vices,” Legenne emphasised.