Delta State to employ 60,000 youths twice in a year

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The Delta State Government says it will empower 6,000 youths with entrepreneurial and vocational skills to reduce unemployment and boost the economic fortunes of the state.

Mr Eric Omare, the Special Assistant to the state governor on Youth and Community Development, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to Omare, a total of 60,000 youths applied to participate in the training programme but due to the financial predicament of the state, the government could not afford to train all of them at once.

“The first batch, target of first batch is about 6,000 people. The first batch will take 6,000 and it is going to be every six months.

“In every six months, we intend to produce 6,000 people. The intention is that after the first batch, about six month’s time, another batch will come.

“Ordinarily, the Excellency, the Governor of Delta, Dr Okowa will have loved mainly all the Delta youths that wished to be trained to be trained, but this government has financial constraint.

“Especially in the light of the present economic situation we have in Nigeria, that is the reason why there is a bit of restriction.

“Because when the government called for application, about 60,000 youths applied and the government is able to just take 6,000 in the first batch.

“And the governor is not too happy about it, but there is nothing he can do, because it is not just to train them but you must set them up.

“And if you must do that, then it means you will spend substantial amount of money in each and every youth that you are training.

“So, the first batch is going to be 6,000. Second batch, maybe the number may increase, but for now that is the position”.

Omare said Delta government had designed a template for youth engagement.

According to him, the purpose is to ensure prosperity for the people of the state.

Omare said the government rolled out what was called smart agenda, adding that an integral part of smart agenda was youth empowerment.

“Empowerment programmes such are agriculture, entrepreneur and vocational skills.

“The overall objective of these programmes is ensure that we move from merely training youths to different areas of specialty to making them to be entrepreneurs.

“That is in appreciation to the fact that there are no jobs anywhere. It is better to create people who will create jobs in turn,” he said.

Omare said that the state government was also involved in constant engagement with the youths in order to tackle the problem of disconnection between the government and the youth.

“Now, we have a regular session by way of town hall meeting with youths of different parts of Delta state where we get feedback from them on the challenges they are facing.

“And in turn, letting them know what the government is doing,” he said.