News: FG To Train 400 Youths on 'Train and Employ' ICT Programme

The Federal Government says it will train 400 youths in the Niger Delta region on the Identify, Train and Engage Scheme (ITRENS).
The Supervising Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Darius Ishaku, made this known yesterday in Abuja.

Ishaku said the training would be a shift from other programmes with little or engagement, noting that finance would be given to successful participants. He said a delegation of the ministry visited Ireland sometime in 2013 over the programme.

The minister said the delegation, which was led by the immediate past minister, Mr Godsday Orubebe, comprised the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator James Manager.

He said the team witnessed a demonstration of Tablet PCs and Smartphones assembled by kids within the ages of 15 and 17years.
He recalled that the visit was a follow up to an earlier presentation made by Swift and Just Nigeria Limited, and Gel Technology of Republic of the Ireland. Ishaku said that the ICT-based Youth Empowerment Programme was developed by the ministry in collaboration with Swift and Just Nigeria Limited. He said the initiative was focused on unemployed non-militant youths in the region.

"This initiative places emphasis on vocational training tailored toward providing the identified trainees with essential skills and competencies they need to become economically, active players in their chosen sector of Nigeria's economy. According to him, information technology remains one of the biggest sectors in Nigeria alone that can engage our youths.

"Statistics has shown that over 44 million Nigerians subscribe to mobile phone companies.
"One person owns more than a cell phone, including laptops, palmtops and I-pads. The sector is viable. To run an e-based or knowledge-based economy, will require technicians who can actually provide services to repair damaged ICT activities.

"The hardware and software are easily available in Nigeria and also in the Niger Delta region," he said. The minister said that the ministry had graduated no fewer than 100 Niger Delta youths who acquired knowledge on how to assemble phones I-Pads and other information technology gadgets.

Ishaku said that the first batch of nominees, consisting of youths from the nine Niger Delta-states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers. The Federal Government gave each of the graduates N100,000 to kick-start their own businesses at the end of the three weeks training. He said 400 youths would also be trained in the second phase of the ICT skill acquisition programme at the Skills Acquisition Centre in Otuoke, Bayelsa.

Source: Hallmark