The National Directorate of Employment, NDE Abia State, has carried out the disbursement of starter packs to 34 beneficiaries of the just concluded Community Based Training Scheme programme.
Eighty-five (85) persons were trained in various skills namely: Catering, Fashion and Designing, Electrical Installation, Barbing, Interior Decoration and Makeup Artistry out of which 34 received starter packs.
The participants were drawn from the three (3) senatorial districts of the state, five (5) per Local Government Area.
Speaking during the event, held in Umuahia, the State Coordinator NDE Abia, Mrs Tessy Wachuku advised the 34 beneficiaries to start immediately to use the equipments received for business, to enable them to start repaying the loan after six ( 6) months monetorium.
She congratulated them on the successful completion of the Community Based Training Scheme programme.
In his keynote address, the Director – General of NDE, Mallam Nuhu Abubakar Fikpo, represented by the Deputy Director, Vocational Skills Development Department at the headquarters, Mr. Obinna Offia, reminded the beneficiaries that it was their hardwork and commitment during the training that made them to be selected and urged them not to let down the Directorate and the Nation at large.
While appreciating the guests, staff and others who graced the occasion, the Head of Department, Vocational Skills Development Department, Ms Chinyere Onyekwere enjoined the beneficiaries not to rest on their oars in monetizing their skills using the equipment received.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Kalu Wonders thanked the Federal Government and the Directorate for the privilege to acquire skills and receive equipment as a loan with little interest.
He promised that they will make good use of the opportunity given them and in no distant time become employers of labour.
Some of the starter packs received were gas cookers with oven, complete make up box, sewing machines, pressing iron and among others.
