Asaba – Six technical colleges and three vocational training institutes are to benefit from N180 million grant from World Bank, European Union and Delta Government, an official has said.

Mr Benson Ojoko, Coordinator of the State Employment and Expenditure for Results Projects (SEEFOR) made the disclosure on Monday in Asaba.

Ojoko spoke at a workshop organised for the project implantation committee and the centre based management committee of youth vocational centres in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the six technical colleges received N120 million grant from the World Bank, EU and Delta Government in November 2013.

Ojoko said that the nine institutes would receive a total of N20 million each.

He said that the grant was meant to improve facilities in the technical and vocational colleges.

He explained that more than 70 per cent of the grant would be for skill acquisition and educational equipment, while less than 20 per cent would be for capacity building.

He said that the remaining would be for consultancy services and administration in the institutes.

The coordinator said that the essence was to increase the access of the students to relevant skill acquisitions that would make them employable.

The State Commissioner for Youth, Mr Ebifa Ijomah, commended the World Bank, EU and the state government for the grant.

“For some time now, our nation has been going through turbulent time and this has made it very difficult for youths to earn a living.

“And if we pursue this programme with all our heart, the lives of the youths will be better,” he said.

The schools which will benefit from the programme included Uta-Gbogbe Technical College, Agbor Technical College, Ogor Technical College and Sapele Technical College.

/NAN