The Adamawa State Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to expand job opportunities for youths aimed at reducing poverty level across the state.
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri stated this Thursday while receiving officials of the National Directorate of Employment on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Yola, described the agency’s programmes as vital to self-employment, wealth creation and poverty reduction.
Represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Edgar Amos Sunday, Governor Fintiri commended the NDE for its sustained commitment to equipping young Nigerians with vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
The Governor, while appreciating the agency for selecting the state as one of the beneficiaries of its programmes, assured the NDE of the state’s readiness to deepen collaboration with the agency to create more employment opportunities and improve the welfare of youths across Adamawa State.
Governor Fintiri further disclosed that the state government is collaborating with higher institutions to ensure graduates leave school with both academic qualifications and practical skills needed to become self-reliant.
“The objectives of the NDE align with the Adamawa State Government’s development agenda, which prioritises entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and job creation.
The state government has established the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development to promote innovation, create business opportunities and drive economic empowerment.
“Empowering young people with practical skills would not only improve their livelihoods but also help reduce insecurity, as gainfully employed youths are less likely to engage in criminal activities such as banditry, terrorism and other social vices,” he said.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, Mr. Silas Ali Agara, represented by Mr. Edmond Onwuliri, appealed to the Adamawa State Government to support trainees who have completed various vocational skills acquisition programmes but are yet to receive starter packs due to limited resources.
He explained that the agency was in Adamawa to resettle beneficiaries who successfully completed training under the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, adding that starter packs had already been presented to selected beneficiaries under the second phase of the programme to enable them establish their own businesses.
According to him, the NDE redesigned its programmes to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which focuses on employment creation, wealth generation and poverty reduction.
He stated that Adamawa State was selected to host the North-East zonal resettlement exercise, adding that similar programmes had already been conducted in the South-South, South-East and North-West zones, while the North-Central and South-West would soon benefit.
Mr. Onwuliri disclosed that during the first phase of the initiative in 2024, the agency trained 1,346 unemployed persons across Adamawa State, out of whom 1,000 beneficiaries received starter packs, adding that under the second phase, 1,012 beneficiaries were trained, while 250 outstanding trainees were selected for resettlement based on merit and competence.
He said beneficiaries received equipment in various trades, including solar energy installation, fashion design, catering, hairdressing, GSM phone repairs, welding, landscaping and Plaster of Paris (POP) installation, alongside basic business management training.
The NDE Boss commended the Adamawa State Government for providing a conducive working environment for the agency and appealed for support to assist trainees yet to be resettled, stressing that such intervention would further promote self-reliance, job creation and poverty reduction.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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