The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has restated the commission’s commitment towards implementing programmes and initiatives aimed at reducing poverty in the Northeast region.
The Deputy General Manager, NEDC, Ms Fatima Ciroma, made the assertion in an interview on Saturday.
Ciroma spoke at the graduation ceremony of 150 students who enjoyed the scholarship of the NEDC in metering and electrical installation.
NAN reports that the 150 youths from the six states in the Northeast were provided with three months intensive training at Momas Metering School, Orimerunmu, Mowe, Ogun State, where they got certified as electricians.
The skill acquisition scholarship involves training in electricity meter installations, solar PV installations and electrical house wiring, among others.
Ciroma noted that the mandate of the commission was to seek ways of tackling poverty and unemployment through various skill acquisition programmes for the youth in the region.
“What we are doing for the 150 graduating students is part of our mandate as far as NEDC is concerned. We have mandate aimed at reducing poverty through skill acquisitions.
“We have embarked on various skill acquisition programmes different for what the 150 students drawn from the six states in the Northeast have enjoyed.
“We have had trainings for our youths in ICT, training programmes at the Peugeot Assembly of Nigeria (PAN) in Kaduna where they were trained in automobiles.
“We also have other programmes ahead of us different from the metering and electrical installation because we want to explore all avenues to ensure that our youths are gainfully employed, she said.
Ciroma noted that the programme was a readymade resource programme that would help the beneficiaries have an edge toward self sufficiency.
“The programme which the youth have enjoyed is one of the in-demands in the employment market today. I am sure that they, the beneficiaries, already have jobs waiting for them.
“In line with the Federal Government mass metering of homes, we know that Nigeria is in the deficit of eight million meters which will need a great number of professionals to fill the gaps.
“Those that we have trained should be the ones to help develop the power sector and contribute their quotas while they also get rewarded.
“Our commitments to the development of the region is unwavering and we will continue to do our part in actively engaging youths in investment that will improve their lives, she said.
One of the beneficiaries of the programme and the overall best student, Adamu Isaq from Bauchi State, told newsmen, that the programme was a well thought out one.
“The programme to me is fantastic, I enjoyed all the trainings and I did not do anything extraordinary as the best student, what I did was to pay attention to what the instructor is teaching.
“I am eager to put into practice what I have learnt here by setting up my own business as a solar panel engineer, the part I enjoyed most during the training,” he said.