By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi
The Secretary to the Government of Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, has assured federal government’s determination to grow the socio economic sub sector of the country.
The SGF who spoke during the distribution of start-up kits to 689 graduates of National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission youth transformation programme in Makurdi, Benue State on Thursday, said that the initiative of N-HYPPADEC was one of the interventions of Presidents Tinubu’s quest to grow the economy.
Represented at the occasion by his Chief of Staff, Simeon Tyungu, the SGF said that the N-HYPPADEC youths vocational training which he described as life changing programme would have 5,000 beneficiaries across the six pioneer states.
He explained that the programme had witnessed the grand flag-off of the initiative in Minna, Niger State last Saturday with the distribution of 365 start-up kits to graduates while a similar distribution was done in Jos, Plateau State on Tuesday, this week.
“Let me assure you that this administration will leave no stone unturned towards supporting N-HYPPADEC in the discharge of its functions that is majorly targeted at our nation’s advancement, cognizance of the fact that it aligns with our commitment to the socio-economic growth and all-round development of our dearly beloved Nigeria,” he stressed.
The SGF urged N-HYPPADEC to redouble it’s effort and energy towards taking the nation out of the doldrums of poverty and empowering the youth that will translates to an empowered nation.
In his speech, the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, commended the significant steps of federal government through the programme which he said was designed to take youths out of the streets.
The governor who was represented by his deputy governor, Sam Ode, also admonished the beneficiaries to make good use of the kits which he said would open a new phase of life.
Earlier in his speech, the Managing Director, of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa said that the 689 youths were trained across 29 different vocational areas.
He listed the vocational areas to include; fashion design/tailoring with 129 trainees, fish farming with 125 participants and poultry farming with 84 beneficiaries.
He added, “We have also ventured into modern technological fields such as Computer Software and Web Design, CCTV Installation and Phone Repairs, preparing our youth for the digital economy.
The MD said that the idea of training youths stems from the recurrent flooding that has affected some communities and rendered youth population poor, vulnerable, and to engage in violent crimes and other forms of social delinquencies.