The National Directorate of
Employment ( NDE ), in collaboration with Aisha Arobo Catering and Training
Centre, on Thursday graduated 52 youths
in Catering and Pastery services in Bwari Area Council of the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT).
The feat was an initiative of
the NDE FCT office, under its Vocational Skills Development Department (VSD),
geared towards empowering youths to becoming entrepreneurs and thereby reducing
high unemployment rate in Nigeria.
Community leaders, parents,
Bwari Area Council officials and officers of the NDE were present at the
graduaton ceremony which held at the Normadic Primary School premises in Bwari.
In her speech,Mrs Naomi Mutah
Nyadar,NDE FCT State Cordinator and host of the event, commended the graduating
students for making themselves available
for the training,adding that the empowerment was part of efforts by the
Directorate to reduce unemployment and
make youths self reliant.
“The youths who are graduating
into self employment today probably entered the training with lack of
marketable skills and could have easily fallen prey to any deviant behavior
common with unemployed youths in Nigeria.
“It is heart-warming therefore
to note that these youths have become the next generation of great
caterers,Master Chefs who will provide the needed products and services for
economic growth of our dear country.
“I specially commend the
efforts of our amiable and master trainer,Aisha Arobo Catering and Training
Centre who have collaborated with us over the years.I sincerely commend your
contribution to national development in this area.
I wish to congratulate the graduate as I urge
you to make judicious use of the skills and knowledge you have acquired to
actualize your dreams of being self reliant,”she said.
Also speaking, the Proprietress
of the training centre, Mrs Aisha Arobo, lauded NDE for the partnership and
commended the graduating students for their commitment and dedication in the
course of their training.
“I am very proud to collaborate
with NDE in its efforts at empowering unemployed Nigerian youths. I urged those
who are graduating today to make good use of the skills and experience they
gained from the exercise.”
One of the graduating students,Miss Salma
Mohammed, expressed delight for participating in the training programmme and
commended the catering centre and NDE for the initiative.
She, however, called on
unemployed youths, especially young graduates, to avail themselves for such
empowerment opportunities and become job creators, instead of waiting endlessly
in search of paid employments.
“I am happy to successfully
complete this training and can now be slef employed and in the process employ
others.I am grateful to our trainer and NDE for giving us this opportunity.
“My advice for other youths is
for them to go for skills acquisition like this instead of waiting for
government employments,”she urged.
Highpoints of the event
was the exhibition of delicacies prepared by the graduating students,as well
as presentation of certificates of
participation to them by the DG of NDE, Dr Nasir Ladan Mohammed.
He then congratulated them for successfully completing the program,while
commending the NDE FCT office for its commitment to the directorate’s mandate
and vision.
Mohammed, who was represented
by Eng. Mani Yakubu, a Director in the Department of Vocational Skill Development,noted
that the NDE, over the years,through its Vocational Skills Development
Department,has trained, empowered and resettled a large number of Nigerian
youths.