NDE trains 65 youths on basic business skills in Nasarawa

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced a five-day Basic Business Training (BBT) for 65 school leavers and artisans in Nasarawa State.

The NDE Director General, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo, made this known at the opening ceremony of the BBT in Lafia on Monday.

Nuhu-Fikpo, who was represented by Mr. Chris Bamsida, the Nasarawa State NDE Coordinator, said the training, designed for artisans and school leavers, was on the rudimentary aspects of business management skills.

He said that with the skills, the chances of their success in the market place were higher.

“The training is part of the agency’s efforts in addressing the menace of business failure arising from lack of managerial skills by new entrants into the informal sector.

“The informal sector is a significant contributor to the economy of every nation.

“The significance is further buttressed by their role in stimulating the market economy, productive activities, promoting flexible labour markets and absorbing retrenched labour from the formal sector.

“The training is taking place today in Lafia, Nasarawa State and is holding simultaneously in18 states and the FCT,” Nuhu-Fikpo said.

The director general said that the role of local barbers, cobblers, hair dressers, and similar players in the economy could not be disregarded.

He said that the directorate was established by an Act of Government in 1987 to implement programmes meant to tackle mass unemployment through various strategies developed over the years.

“The targets of these programmes are the graduates, school leavers and artisans.

“The four core programmes of the directorate are the Rural Employment Promotion (REP), Special Public Works (SPW), Vocational Skills Development (VSD) and the Small-Scale Enterprises (SSE) which is conducting the training.

“The SSE programme is involved in the development of the entrepreneurial abilities among youths, especially graduates of tertiary institutions, amongst others.

“It was primarily designed to inculcate in the unemployed, the spirit of entrepreneurship, creativity and self-reliance with a view to assisting them set up their own businesses,” he said.

Nuhu- Fikpo said that the directorate would also provide starter packs for a percentage of those trained.

He advised the participants to give their full attention to the training in their own interest and for the overall development of the country.

The DG thanked the state government and other stakeholders for their continuous assistance as well as the members of the press for propagating the programmes of the agency.

In a welcome address, Ms. Chikodi Ike, the Head of Department, SSE, Abuja said that the agency was committed to its mandate in order to reduce unemployment and poverty within the limits of its resources.

Ike, represented by Mrs. Carol Eluwa, Ag. HOD, Women Employment Branch (WEB) NDE, Abuja commended the director general for initiating different policies and programmes in tackling unemployment in the country.

The Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr. Salihu Enah, represented by the Director of Cooperatives in the Ministry, Alhaji Sani Bello and Dr Idris Umar, General Manager, Nasarawa State Vocational and Relevant Technology Board, appreciated NDE for its efforts in tackling unemployment in the state.

They assured of the government’s readiness to collaborate with NDE in order to train people especially the youths and women in various skills in the state.

Miss Monica John, a beneficiary, appreciated NDE for the training and promised to take the training with the seriousness it deserves.