NDE trains 50 unemployed Ebonyi graduates on business establishment

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has begun a five-day training of 50 unemployed graduates in Ebonyi on how to start small scal businesses of their own.

The NDE’s Director General, (DG) Abubakar Fikpo, flagged off the training, Star Your Own Business (SYOB), organised under its Small Scale Enterprises(SSE) programme in Abakaliki on Thursday,

Fikpo said that the objective of the programme was to empower the trainees with the requisite skills to own businesses and become self-employed.

The director general was represented by the State Coordinator of the directorate, Mr Marcel Igboanude.

He noted that entrepreneurial training and development was one of the directorate’s core programmes aimed at generating job opportunities for the unemployed persons in the country.

“This programme aims at fostering the creation of new businesses, promoting financial inclusion among the participants and providing them with the business skills to manage their enterprises effectively,” Fikpo added.

On selection of the beneficiaries, the DG said that they were drawn from the 13 local government areas of the state.

He said that the training was simultaneously going on across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.

He thanked Gov. David Umahi for creating the conducive environment for the training and supporting NDE in the implementation of its programmes in Ebonyi.

Also speaking, Mr David Apakasa, Director SSE Department, NDE Headquarters Abuja, advised the participants on the need to write good feasibility study report after the training.

Apakasa, represented by the Senior Enterprises Development Officer, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, said participants who exhibit exceptional skills would be assisted in establishing their businesses.

“I urge you (the trainees) to avail yourselves of the opportunity of the programme to become financially independent in life,” he advised.

In his remark, Dr Ewa Ekea, Head of SSE Department, NDE Ebonyi office, urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously to reap the benefits.

A participant, Obi Felix, who responded on behalf of others, thanked the Federal Government and the NDE for giving them the opportunity to participate in the training.

Felix promised that they would make the best use of the opportunity to develop and establish businesses. (NAN)