The Edo State Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Edobor Chukuka, has made an offer to Edo State Council of of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to train journalists to acquire new skills that can make them self-reliant.
The NDE coordinator, who made the offer when he and other senior officials of the agency in Edo State visited the newly elected executive committee of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State council in Benin City, said the directorate already training many youths in agriculture and allied areas.
Chukuka congratulated the new Chairman of the NUJ in Edo State, Festus Alenkhe and members of the state executive committee on their victory in the just last NUJ elections in the state and said he was sure that they would not fail the union members.
He described Alenkhe as a visionary leader, who proved his mettle when he was the Chairman of Edo State Youth Council Centre.
The NDE coordinator said, “We decided to pay you this courtesy visit to inform you about the programmes of the agency. The NDE was created in 1986, and became functional in 1987. It was created to combat mass unemployment that was caused by global recession that occurred in 1980 during the time of when General Ibrahim Babagida era. And we have been able to carry out our mandate by reducing mass unemployment through skills acquisition.
“We have three centres including the one at the State Youth Council. They train people in printing, fashion, computer and hair-dressing. We do mass creation of employment through our programmes, namely, professional skills, we have for special public works which is transient in nature.
“As of today, we are training 72 persons from Edo State who are undergoing this programmes for six months. Each of them will be paid N20,000 per month after the completion of the programmes for the six months, that is N120,000. What we do is that we attach these graduates to occupations very close to their disciplines. If they perform very well, they may be retained in the organisation. Some of them we also like to use the knowledge they acquire to set up their own businesses.
“We have training for agricultural extension in rural areas. This is purely for the youths and even retirees that have passion for agriculture. Recently, we trained 15 agricultural extension service providers.
“These ones are going to the rural areas to teach farmers on the best practices on services in rural areas. We also train small and medium scale businesses where we teach people how to run and expand their businesses.
“We are also here to equally beg for your support in the area of publicity and awareness.”
Responding, Edo state NUJ chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, promised to give publicity and media coverage to the agency.
He said, “I remember when I was the chairman of the State Youth Council. We are going to work together as a body. It was during my time as the chairman of the youths council that we brought NDE to the NUJ council. And we engaged many youths across Edo State. I can assure you that many of them are doing well now in their respective businesses.”
