The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has begun the training of 130 women on various vocational skills in Ebonyi.
The Director-General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo said this at the opening of the on Thursday in Abakaliki.
He said that the training was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to enhance human capital development.
Nuhu-Fikpo said that the women would receive trainings on makeup, tye and dye of clothes, event decoration, bead making, gele tieing, perfumery and organic products among others.
The director-general, who was represented by the State Coordinator of NDE, Mr Marcel Igboanude said that the skills being taught the women had become trending among across the country in the quest for income generation.
He described the skills as an important source of income, employment as well as products and services for families, which could impact positively on the economic growth of the nation.
Nuhu-Fikpo said that the Women Employment Branch (WEB) of the Directorate had trained and resettled more than500 women in Ebonyi.
“They were trained and empowered in areas such as cosmetology, shoe and leather works, fondant cake making and event management among others.
“On this five days training skills, we have made arrangements for the post training of about 70 per cent of the trainees, with provision of soft loan of N25.000 for each of them to enable them set up micro businesses in chosen skills.
“I urge you all to dedicate yourselves to the training. Remember that only participants with 85 per cent daily attendance would benefit from the soft loan package.’’
Also speaking, Mr Sunday Apakasa, the Director, Department of Small Scale Enterprises (SSE), NDE, said that the training showed that NDE was translating its policy into action.
Apakasa, represented by Mrs Anthonia Uzinyia, a Senior Officer in the Directorate, also advised the trainees to take advantage of the programme to improve their livelihoods and become employers of labour.
Chinenye Ulasi, a beneficiary of the training, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his administration’s efforts to design empowerment programmes for the youth and woman across the states of the federation.
“We expect more of this programme in 2022 to adequately promote women’s livelihoods in the country. I promise to utilise the opportunity and the skills learnt,” Ulasi said.