The Npower programme, regardless of its widely received criticism has continued in its efforts to empower Nigerian youths as it completed the training of about 3, 000 youths in skill acquisition.
The Npower programme drafted a total of 3,000 youths from the North Central geopolitical zone, successfully training them in the process of skill acquisition.
The programme was titled: “N-knowledge Life Skills Acquisition Programme,” a sort of subsidiary of the Npower scheme which would see the trainees given some items which would help them in the startup phase, including laptops.
The skill acquisition programme was designed by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to last for three months and to empower the youths who do not currently have any means of employment.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Human Resources Department of the Ministry, Kalgo Yusuf Muazu stated at the Public Service Institute in Abuja where the Npower beneficiaries have been camped since October that the programme will help the unemployed trainees to become self employed.
The 3,000 trainees all come from Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory.
Apart from being given items to help with their startups, it was also announced that the trainees would receive a monthly stipend of N10,000 for a period of nine months.
It was stated that the beneficiaries would receive the laptops and other items after being dismissed from the camp to head for their respective states, and not later on.
It would be understandable if there were doubts concerning the government’s ability to deliver on its promises, considering the delays in payments of stipends for Npower beneficiaries. It remains to be seen whether the government will do what needs to be done on time.
One of the trainers of the Npower hardware programme encouraged the government to go beyond this and provide funds to help the trainees stand on their feet.
