Governor Sani Bello of Niger State

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Niger on Sunday says it has trained 1047 youths in the state, in various skills acquisition under the Youth Employment Social Support Operation (YESSO).

Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, its Coordinator in the state, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Sunday.

“We have trained 1,047 youths under the YESSO, in skills such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), clothing and textile, building and POP, agriculture and cosmetology,’’ he said.

Mohammed also said that the programme was aimed at empowering youths from poor and vulnerable homes through attitudinal reorientation and skills acquisition.

He further said the training, which lasted three month, marked the first phase of nine months structured training in demand-driven vocational and technical skills.

The coordinator also told NAN that the trainees were ready for deployment to workshops, private and public organisations as interns and apprentices.

He said that the participants would attend deployment interviews scheduled from 24 to 28 July, at NED Skills Acquisition Training Centres, Minna and Chanchaga Local Government Areas of the state.

Mohammed said that after the nine month training, the state government would provide the trainees with starter packs, in their chosen trade, to set up business.

Mr Habila Yusuf, a beneficiary of the programme in ICT, lauded the NDE for engaging unemployed youths in trades that would make them self reliant.

He said, ‘’After the training, I will establish a business centre with my starter pack.’’

Yusuf, who he said he obtained a National Diploma certificate in public administration from Federal Polytechnic, Bida, said he had being without job since 2012 that he graduated.

NAN reports that the training is a collaboration between the Federal Government, World Bank and the state government.

(NAN)