By Umar Dankano, Yola
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has presented resettlement starter packs to 42 beneficiaries who successfully completed the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI) in Adamawa State.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony in Yola on Thursday, the Director-General of the NDE, Mr. Silas Ali Agara, said the initiative was designed to equip unemployed youths, women and other vulnerable groups with marketable vocational, entrepreneurial, agricultural and public works skills to enable them become self-reliant, create jobs and contribute to national economic development.
Agara, who was represented by Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, said that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, a total of 1,012 beneficiaries were trained across Adamawa State in various vocational, entrepreneurial, agricultural and public works skills during the second phase of the programme.
He disclosed that following the successful completion of the training, 42 beneficiaries were selected for resettlement based on their performance, commitment and readiness to establish sustainable businesses, adding that the exercise would be implemented in phases.
“The beneficiaries being empowered today constitute the first batch, while other qualified trainees will be resettled progressively as funds become available. This phased approach is intended to ensure that all deserving beneficiaries are supported within the available resources. I wish to assure those awaiting resettlement that the Directorate remains committed to reaching them as funding permits,” he said.
The Director-General described the presentation of starter packs as an investment in the future of the beneficiaries and a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to entrepreneurship and unemployment reduction.
“Today’s resettlement is more than the presentation of starter packs; it is an investment in your future and a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and reducing unemployment. I encourage each beneficiary to make prudent use of the tools and equipment received by establishing viable businesses, creating employment opportunities for others and becoming ambassadors of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative in your communities,” Agara stated.
Earlier, the Director of Vocational Skills Development (VSD), Mr. Christopher Bamsida, said the event marked another significant milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling unemployment, reducing poverty and promoting sustainable livelihoods through skills development and entrepreneurship.
According to him, the intervention is aimed at empowering beneficiaries with the resources required to transform the skills they acquired during training into productive and sustainable means of livelihood.
Bamsida also appreciated the support and cooperation of the Adamawa State Government in advancing employment creation initiatives.
“The NDE deeply appreciates the support and cooperation of the Adamawa State Government in advancing employment creation initiatives. We acknowledge the existing partnership with the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA), which has contributed significantly to the implementation of various employment and empowerment programmes in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, the Acting State Coordinator of the NDE in Adamawa, Mrs. Aisha Modu Fika, urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the Directorate by putting the skills acquired into productive use and sharing the knowledge within their communities.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Aqib Iliyasu Abdullahi expressed appreciation to the Federal Government through the NDE for the opportunity to acquire skills that would enable them become self-reliant and employers of labour.
Abdullahi said the six-month training programme was both engaging and impactful, providing participants with practical knowledge in various vocational and entrepreneurial fields.
He pledged that the beneficiaries would make judicious use of the starter packs to establish sustainable businesses and improve their livelihoods.