A community-based organisation, Esit Eket Community Development Foundation, said it empowered 263 youths on skill acquisition programme, to be self reliant in Akwa Ibom.
Administration Officer of the foundation, Mr Emmanuel Thompson, announced this while presenting some items to six beneficiaries in Esit Eket.
The items include six sewing and weaving machines to assist successful beneficiaries.
“Currently 47 trainees are undergoing training, while 263 beneficiaries had completed their training and have set up their business centres,’’ he said.
He said the beneficiaries were taught aluminium fabrication, catering and hotel management, GSM phone repair, carpentry, pipe line welding, electrical installation, computer maintenance and fashion designing.
Thompson said the programme was one of the five development intervention areas targeted at addressing unemployment and insufficient skilled manpower in the state.
“It will increase self reliance among the youth and also complement the ongoing efforts of the Akwa Ibom Government in creating job opportunities for its citizens,’’ he said.
He said that the foundation started the programme in 2010, adding that it had so far enrolled 310 youths for training in various skills areas free of charge.
Thompson thanked Frontier Oil Limited and Pro Natural International Nigeria (PNI) for facilitating the foundation for the execution of development programmes in the host communities.
The State Coordinator of PNI, Mr Justin Okwuofu, promised that it would continue to assist the foundation to execute more development and empowerment projects.
Okwuofu was represented by the Senior Programme Adviser, Mr Amarachi Okoroiwu.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Emilia Johnson expressed gratitude to the foundation for empowering youths in the area.
She urged the organisation to sustain the programme, to reduce youth’s restiveness in the society.
