The National Directorate of Employment, NDE Abia State has disbursed of starter packs to 34 Community Based Training Scheme (CBTS) beneficiaries in five skills namely Hair Dressing, Fashion and Designing, Make Up artistry, Electrical Installation and GSM Repairs.
The State Coordinator, NDE Abia, Mrs Tessy Wachuku who represented the Director General, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo congratulated the beneficiaries for making it to the second list out of 85 participants that were trained as the first list of 34 beneficiaries were earlier on resettled . She advised them not to despise the days of little beginning and put the equipment to good use. She reiterated that the starter packs are loan packages which will be paid back over three years after a period of moratorium.
The Director, Vocational skills development department ably represented by Mrs Agnes Ogbaga encouraged the beneficiaries to begin immediately to do business with the equipment so the can be proficient and in turn become employers of labour thus help to curb unemployment in the state and nation at large.
The dignitaries who graced the occasion were Deputy Mayor of Umuahia South LGA, Hon Oledingwa Nwabueze, state president of National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Lady Agnes Okafor Okoroafia who was represented by Mrs Ngozika Oriaku and the Head of Industrial Arbitration Panel, south east zone, Barr (Mrs) Ifeanyi – Okolo Chioma. They all gave goodwill messages of felicitations and encouragement saying that skill acquisition is the way to go in today’s world.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Onyemachi Izuchukwu thanked the federal government, the Directorate and all who in one way or the other made today possible and a success. He promised that they will not disappoint the Directorate but will put the equipment to good use.
In her vote of thanks, the Head, Vocational skills development department, Miss Chinyere Onyekwere thanked all who graced the occasion and encouraged the participants to make judicious use of the opportunity given them so as to have a multiplier effect.
