Mr. Dele Aisekhalaye, representative of Manager, Government, Community Relations and Security, Mr. Sheidu Aiguedo, presenting starter pack on behalf of OML 34: NEPL/ND-Western JV, to a beneficiary. The PRO OML 34 CDB, Comrade (Dr) Taiga, and other guest look on
Determined to reduce high rates of youth’s unemployment across communities within its operational areas, the management of OML 34: NEPL/ND-Western JV, said it would consolidate on its vocational empowerment training programs to creating entrepreneurship opportunities.
Speaking at the Skill Acquisition Training Presentation of Certificates and Starter Packs, including cash to beneficiaries, held at Otor-Udu, headquarters of Udu Council area on Tuesday, Manager, Government, Community Relations and Security, Mr. Sheidu Aiguedo, highlighted importance the company attached to youth empowerments.
Mr. Aiguedo, who was represented at the occasion by Mr. Dele Aisekhalaye, urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the skills acquisition training they had gone through at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) Effurun, and the start packs they were given to start making sustainable income that would make them self-dependent.
According to him, “We welcome you all to this epoch-making ceremony of the graduation of our trainees after a period of six months. This exercise is part of the company’s strategic planning to support development and empowerment of our host communities in OML 34.”
“Today, we are graduating 56 trained youths from various communities in OML 34, who have completed a six-month program at FURRE training center in Uvwie Local Government Ares of Delta State.”
The trainees are selected for the following skills areas; Welding and Fabrication, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Catering and Hotel Management, Decorating and Event Management, Electrical Installation, Instrumentation and Control, Hair Dressing, Make-Up and Gele as well as Tailoring/Fashion Design.
“The above scheme will help to reduce the unemployment rate in our host communities and create a new set of youths that will be self-employed and help create employment for other youths in their various communities,” he stated.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of OML 34 Community Development Board (CDB), Comrade Kingsley Governor Mukoro, thanked the management of OML 34: NEPL/ND-Western JV, for its commitment to the youth skills acquisition training programs which he noted had gone a long way in cushioning the effects of youth unemployment in the area.
He congratulated the beneficiaries of the scheme and urged them to be good ambassadors of the various communities they are representing by using the training and starter parks for the purpose it was meant, particularly for their self-sustenance and training of other community youths.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Community Adviser of OML 34, Comrade Efe Okovwurie, admonished the beneficiaries to imbibe the culture of contentment and perseverance, adding that with those attributes they stand the pressure that comes with starting small and growing big despite challenges that may confront them in life.
He maintained that the temptation trading off their starter packs usually comes when they are in a hurry to make fast money and not wavy to ensure growing a business that would sustain them in the future.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of OML 34 CDB, Comrade (Dr) Kehinde Prince Taiga, reiterated that the board has put a machinery in place to monitor the growth of the beneficiary businesses in the next six months so as to have an idea of their challenges and how they can provide an assistance to them through the company.
Taiga reminded them that their selection was not based on the fact that they were the best in their various communities but because they were privileged and expressed the need for them to make that opportunity count by ensuring they make maximum use of the training and starters packs they were given.
He cautioned them repeatedly against the temptation to sell out the starter packs, noting that the way they have managed what they were given today would determine if they would be considered for other opportunities like this in the future.
Items given to the beneficiaries as starter pack included Generators, Sewing Machines, Hair Driers, Laptops, Cooking Utensils, Gas Cookers, UPS and cash to hire shops to set up s small scale businesses.