The 177 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Keffi, headquarters of Keffi Local Government, Nasarawa State, has trained and empowered 77 youths on five different skills to making them self reliant.
Emmanuel Ejim-Emekah, Director of Operations in the Nigerian Army Headquarters, confirmed the development at the graduation ceremony of trainees at the Shitu Alao Barracks in Keffi.
Ejim-Emekah lauded the Commanding Officer of the 177 Guards Battalion and initiator of the empowerment programme for his foresight and determination to engaging idle youths with skills that would make them independent and improve their living conditions.
Read also: Army offers free medical outreach to Ondo community
He said, “I am quite impressed and happy with the Commanding Officer, 177 Guards Battalion today for this initiative, which is in line with the key philosophy of the Chief of Army, and that is welfare of troops and their families is the key pillar. I commend you for this laudable initiative and urge you to sustain it.”
He then urged the youths to maximally utilize the skills acquired during the training period to be gainfully engaged, so as to sustain and support themselves and their families.
He also warned the trainees not rely solely on formal education and neglect the skills they had acquired as there are no guarantees of government jobs hence the call to the youths to prioritize the skills got while also acquiring formal education.
Adebisi Onasanya, Nigeria’s Army Commander, Guards Brigade also expressed delight with the empowerment programme and thanked the Commanding Officer, 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi for coming up with the initiative and seeing it to fruition.
