Two thousand two hundred Abia indigenes have been trained in various skills by the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
Sam Nwogu, the chairman of ASOPADEC while speaking during graduation/certificate presentation to the graduands in Umuahia, disclosed that the Youth Artisanship Programme of the commission lasted for one year and accommodated about 3,000 Abians who were given monthly stipends to fend for themselves.
He said his commission later went into partnership with SMEDAN, BDE and NERFUND to successfully transform the programme into skill acquisition and entrepreneurial training programme.
The chairman of the commission hinted that SMEDAN provided the entrepreneurial training preparing the beneficiaries on how to manage their businesses while NDE trained them in various skills.
Nwogu further said that NERFUND in collaboration with the commission provided the counterpart fund by N400 million while the state would raise N400 million to enable the commission set up businesses for the graduands.
UDOKA AGWU,Umahia
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