Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has renewed his call on youths of the state to embrace skill acquisition programmes to become self-reliant rather than depend on handouts from politicians.
Speaking in Yenagoa, on Monday, during the graduation ceremony of 814 students of the Diri Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme, the governor said the programme was in line with the prosperity agenda of his administration.
Also, on Monday, Diri flagged off the training and empowerment of 317 others under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) scheme.
He stressed that true progress came from hard work and restated the desire of his administration to support similar empowerment programmes to improve the economic fortunes of youths and the state at large.
The governor encouraged youths to shun criminality and take advantage of government’s plans and programmes to give their lives a meaning.
He expressed delight over the disposition of the graduates, who, he said, showed determination to put their skills to use and promised to sustain the programme.
The state helmsman expressed confidence that with the series of empowerment programmes of his administration, citizens would soon start producing most of the needs of the people.
He commended the initiator of the scheme, Mrs Charity Godwin.
He said: “Indeed, today is one of my happiest days as I stand before women and boys graduating with skills. It is important that today you have skills and you will add value to yourselves and others around. This training will continue, and you will have to train others too. What Charity (Godwin) has done is flying with my vision.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr Federal Otokito, described the event as remarkable in the life of the administration.
He said it was in line with the governor’s charge to end political praise-singing and raise entrepreneurs.
Presenting the programmer’s overview, Director, Centre for Women Development, Southern I jaw Constituency 4, Mrs. Charity Godwin, explained that the training lasted about one year and the students had learned various skills such as fashion design, catering, shoemaking, soap making, among others.
Representatives of the beneficiaries, in their remarks, appreciated the governor and Mrs. Godwin for the training, assuring that the skills acquired would be put to profitable use.