Rivers: NDE empowers beneficiaries with equipment, starter-packs, cash
Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has given equipment, starter packs and cash to 32 beneficiaries of their recent vocational skills acquisition training programme in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The beneficiaries comprising 12 on School On Wheel (SOW) and 20 on Community Base Training Scheme (CBTS) were presented with equipment, starter packs and cash by the Director General (DG) of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo.
Represented by the Rivers State Coordinator of NDE, Mrs Maureen Okeji, the DG while presenting the packages to the beneficiaries told them to count themselves lucky to have been selected for such gesture. Mallam Fikpo urged the beneficiaries to ensure that they repay their loans promptly to enable others benefit from the Federal Government’s gesture.
“We are here for resettlement programme. I can recall some of your faces in the last vocational training. NDE deems it necessary to empower you, so that the skills gotten from the training will not be a waste. I urge you therefore to effectively utilize the equipment to your benefit and by also training others to be self-sufficient.
“The empowerment is a loan package, so it must be repaid promptly, for others to also benefit from the gesture. NDE will also equip you with starter-packs to effectively start your business. The equipment must not be sold, it has to be used for the purpose it was meant for,” the DG stressed.
Mrs Okeji reminded the beneficiaries that anything done today will be reported back to the NDE headquarters.
In her remarks at the event, the Head of Department, Vocational Skills Department (VSD), Birayesieghe George said the beneficiaries were the lucky ones to have been selected from the lot.
She urged them to go and promptly establish their businesses. George appealed to the beneficiaries to always pay the instalments of their loan as at when due.
“You are the lucky ones from the lot that were selected. Go and establish your business and please pay your loan instalments as at when due. It is important that you pay back, so that others can get the loan,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the Paramount Ruler of Rumunduru Community, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze David Chukumati thanked NDE Management for the kind gesture to the beneficiaries.
The Royal Father expressed happiness for the success of the programme and tasked the beneficiaries to take advantage of the training to improve their lives.
In her response shortly after receiving her package, one of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of others, Madam Goodness Ogbonda thanked the Management of NDE for the opportunity given them to acquire the training. She assured that they will not let the Directorate, their families and Rivers State at large down.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of certificates, starter packs and cash to the beneficiaries by the Director General of NDE.
