By Emmanuel Okonkwo (ABS Reporter)
One thousand, seventy-seven unemployed Anambra youths have been selected to be trained and empowered in agriculture, vocation, ICT, and entrepreneurship by the federal government through National Directorate of Employment (NDE), under the ongoing second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI 2).
Flagging off the scheme at the Federal Secretariat in Awka, the Director General National Directorate of Employment, Mr Silas Agara represented by the Acting Director South East Zonal Office of NDE, Mr Chibuzo Okoronkwo while saying that at the end of the training a total of fourteen thousand, four hundred and fifty -seven persons are to be empowered across Nigeria, expressed optimism that the initiative will reduce unemployment, promote entrepreneurship, and boost economic growth across the country.
In his remarks, the NDE Anambra State Coordinator, Pastor Don Anaba revealed that about five thousand, seven hundred and thirty-seven applicants applied for the federal government’s employment opportunity, out of which one thousand, seventy-seven persons were selected, and charged the lucky ones to be dedicated throughout the training process so as to be empowered at the end, and to become self-reliant and employers of labour afterwards.
Pastor Anaba expressed hope that the federal government through NDE will still carry out another phase of the program to accommodate those that were not opportuned to be selected in the present phase.
The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ifeanyi Nworah, and the Anambra State Controller Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Bernadine Oji-Ogbuehi reminded the beneficiaries that they are opportuned to be selected out of the numerous people that applied, hence the need for them to be focused and determined to learn any skill they will be exposed to during the training, as according to them, persons with skills are currently in high demand globally, and such persons will always survive no matter the country’s economic reality.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Chisom Nnaegbuna thanked the federal government and NDE for such an opportunity to become self-reliant, and promised that they would put in their best in the training so as to make their families and the society proud with the skills they will learn.