Special Public Works (SPW) department of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Tuesday began a three-month intensive training for 20 youths in Enugu state on environmental beautification programme tagged, ‘Environmental Beautification Training Scheme (EBTS)’.
The lucky participants for the scheme would be trained on Floor Tiling, POP, Flower Gardening (Horticulture), Hard Landscaping and Interlocking.
Speaking at the orientation ceremony for the commencement of the programme at NDE office in Enugu, the Director General, Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, represented by the Enugu state NDE coordinator, Engr. Thecla Ndibuagu said the scheme was initiated, not only to combat unemployment but to encourage wealth creation and reduce poverty among the citizenry.
He urged the participants to take the training serious because of the benefits accruing to it.
He said, “I want to urge you, participants to take this training exercise very serious as there are many of your colleagues who would want to be part of this training but could not be accommodated. So, you should count yourselves lucky to be included in this batch of participants.
“NDE is giving you orientation today for the training. It is our wish that you make good use of your training so that not only that you become bosses after the training but become employers of labour.
“Those who are being trained are only a fraction of those that need the training. There are others but they do not have the opportunity, so make proper use of the training.”
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Head of Department, Special Public Works Department of NDE, Enugu, Mrs Lucy Nna, also urged the participants to take their training serious, saying that they were lucky to have been chosen.
“You are fortunate to be participating in the programme. Many did not have the opportunity. Many are called but few as are chosen. Be good ambassadors of NDE. Humble yourself and learn the skills so that at the end of the day, you will be happy that you did,” she said.
A former beneficiary of the programme who was trained on Horticulture, Nnamdi Oko, said the training is helping him in life today.
“I participated in training on Horticulture and it is helping me today. I want to encourage you that your training will not be in vain,” he said, pointing out that after the training the Directorate will empower them to set up their own business.
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