A total of 1400 young entrepreneurs have been trained and fortified with capital and tools to begun profitable careers in the Niger Delta since 2004.
The scheme was enhanced Monday, December 12, 2022, at the Hotel Presidential on Aba Road in Port Harcourt where the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) unleashed another 210 such fortified entrepreneurs to join their earlier batches.
The training is said to cover requisite skills in crafts like automotive repairs, advanced welding, photography and video production, farm management, fashion designing and cosmetology, and Information and Communication Technology.
Giving details, Andy Odeh, General Manager, External Relations, NLNG, said these were the graduates of Youths Empowerment Scheme (YES) for 2021 and 2022.
He observed that COVID-19 affected the graduation ceremony of 2021 batch, warranting a combination in 2022; adding that some have already begun practising their skills while some have even become employers of labour.
He said; “The Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) is one of NLNG’s major human capital development programmes to equip youth to move from job seekers to job creators. “
He said the NLNG wanted to create a crème of highly skilled and equipped young men and women who will support the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria through the various skill bases.
“We are indeed grateful for our various training centres for bringing out the best, theoretically and technically, in the trainees. We have further equipped all the graduates with starter packs to kick off their trade and some are doing remarkably well already.
“To help ease the process of business registration, we formed partnership with Corporate Affairs Commission. We also formed partnership with Stanbic IBTC to provide seamless payments of allowances as well as give our graduates access to SME loans.
“Furthermore, graduates of three of the vocations have acquired additional qualifications that place them on a very high standing.
“The 2022 photography and video production, graduates have become registered members of Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria; the Information and Communication Technology graduates are worldwide Certified entry level Information Technology Specialists, and the Catering and Hotel Management graduates are now holders of the City and Guild Hospitality and Catering certification.”
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The NLNG said they have formed an alumni forum for the YES members to enable networking opportunities and capacity building that would be profitable to the beneficiaries and create a source of resourceful information.
In congratulating the 2021 and 2022 graduates of YES, Odeh said it not a smooth road but that the trainees stayed the course and some of them graduated in flying colours. “Before now, the belief was that advanced welding, automotive and the likes are for men. Today, we have ladies who have beaten men in these vocations and passed out in flying colours.”
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