Following the need to create a comprehensive database of the youth population of the Niger Delta to determine their needs, qualifications, skills, passion, interests, and employment status, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, disclosed that the commission has trained 185 collation officers across the nine states of the Niger Delta region to create awareness in the rural communities for its youth development scheme, tagged: Holistic Opportunity Projects of Engagement, HOPE.
The NDDC Director, Agriculture and Fisheries, Mrs. Winifred Madume, who spoke to newsmen on the progress made on the youth empowerment scheme at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, revealed that another batch of 185 supervisors were being trained for the programme; adding that as over one hundred thousand youths of Niger Delta region have so far registered in the first phase of the HOPE project, this second phase would engage the youths on the various industrial training skills.
According to Madume, such data would provide a parameter for youth employment generation, empowerment, and capacity development in the region; while assuring that the commission would put in its best efforts, including the provision of logistic support, to ensure the success of the programme. She urged young people in the Niger Delta region to take advantage of the HOPE initiative.
Moreso, with the view to giving the youths an opportunity to attain economic independence, empower the youths with legitimate livelihood means, along with their educational qualifications, skills, among others, the NDDC Director, Commercial and Industrial Development, Dr. Godwin Nosiri, has maintained that the commission planned to look into youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region by building a solid base for sustainable peace.
Nosiri, asserted that by securing sustainable international and local partnerships for the establishment of agriculture-based industries, training opportunities and overall youth engagement, which would be supported by community, government and corporate partnerships in land acquisition for the project, the Project HOPE, would create 1000 jobs in each state of the Niger Delta region.
However, the Resource Person for Project HOPE, Ambassador Blessing Fubara, noted that as it’s necessary to encourage the creative industry, among others, the scheme would focus on commercial agriculture, Information and Communication Technology, ICT, Music and Arts Project; observed that the scheme provided a platform on which youths of the region would benefit and make visible progress.
