Skills Acquisition, Strategy To Keep Youths Employed-Banigo

No fewer than 1,160 have successfully completed an intensive three-week Skills Acquisition Programme organized by the Office of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State in collaboration with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Region 5 in the state.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony at the Degema National College, last Friday, the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo said the gesture was a deliberate strategy to keep the youths gainfully engaged, and reduce social vices in the society.
The deputy governor, who spoke through her Director of Administration, Mr. Ben Roberts, said one of the main policy thrusts of the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration was to strategically empower the youths by creating opportunities for them to acquire relevant skills for future development.
She said a similar programme was held at the old Degema province, comprising Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru and Degema local government areas, last year, where over 3,500 youths benefitted, noting that the dividends of that training were obvious.
Banigo, who disclosed that the training was a continuation of her vision for the youths, expressed delight that 10 different vocations were captured in the programme, stressing that strategies have been put in place to ensure follow-up of the participants from time to time, with a view of providing needed materials and equipment to them for sustainability.
The deputy governor expressed gratitude to the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 5, the facilitators, resource persons, participants and the people of the community for the success of the programme.
In his sermon drawn from James Chapter 1 verse 17, the Pastor in charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 5, Pastor Belemina Obunge, said “a gift is something that is handed over to a person without paying for it”, stressing that every good gift was from God, and “when something is good, it should overrule evil”.