By Joe Favour /Effurun
DELTA state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed satisfaction over the wealth creation embarked upon by Delta State Oil Producing Development Areas Commission, DESOPADEC as168 trainees graduated from the commission skill academy.
The graduates were trained on different fields of specialisation which includes, Hair Dressing, Makeover and Organic Skin Care Production, Fashion Design and Tailoring, Electrical Repairs, Installation and Solar Works, Catering and Confectioneries, POP, Tiling and Interlocking, Welding and Fabrications, Shoe and Bag Making, Information and Communication Technology, Health, Safety and Environment.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the second batch of the 2022 skill acquisition, in Effurun, Delta state, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who was represented by the secretary to the state government, Ogbuefi Patrick Ukah said, “One particular thing that makes us to be happy is the policy of wealth and job creation. People gives money in some places but we teach you how to make money yourself.
“And it makes us happy when we looked at the number of people we have trained in YAGEP, Strepreneur and in various job creation agencies and of course the mini-Delta in DESOPADEC that adopted this same policies.
“I am aware that in the first batch, 160 students were graduated, and today, we are seeing another 168 and you know what that , one thing is for you to learn a skill and the other is for the hand of God to be in your business and that is the making of the new Delta, this administration has brought.
“The policy of this government and particular in DESOPADEC is for people like you are to be trained because it is not everyone that would work in the bank and oil companies.
“I have never expected less from Bashorun Askia and his team because this is one of the strongest point of our administration, wealth and job creation and what I have seen today gladdens my heart making me believe that we are still very much on course in finishing strong.
“While I congratulate you all on the skills you have learned, I want to you to also learn integrity in your various businesses as you may loose customers if you are not truthful in your business.”
In his address and congratulatory speech,the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DESOPADEC, Bashorun Askia Ogieh said, “Again, we are here today to present the second batch of graduands of the Academy to the public.They have undergone a grueling six-month drilling in preferred vocational disciplines.
“Our altruistic objective is giving life to our people to become self sustaining and employers of labour and intention is to change the hitherto forlorn and hopeless narrative and today over 100,000 direct jobs and one million indirect jobs have been created since 2015.
“This pragmatic and bold initiative which is on all fours with the broad entrepreneurial agenda of our able Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to cover the field at the state level has turned out to be more impactful.
“As key participants with the global community, the policy intent of the Skills Academy finds solid hinge on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) geared essentially at improving lives, boosting skills, becoming employers of labour instead of being liabilities in a hugely fractured contemporary social system, and creating an innovative ambience of eking out a legitimate living that conforms with peaceful order and mutual coexistence.
“The bold initiative we took as a Board in the first quarter of 2021, in the face of a crunch and highly challenging Nigerian economic environment, to square up and re-skill our people in several vocational areas within the mandate oil-bearing communities, has undoubtedly paid off for the successful trainees and their families.
“They have been adjudged fit and proper to receive the FML&P Trade Test Certificates 2 and 3; and DESOPADEC Skills Academy Certificate of Competence. These qualify them to work and operate in and outside Delta State.
“We have again provided all the work facilities and gadgets for a successful take off, aside the financial largesse to kick-start their entrepreneurial journey with the unalloyed executive backup of our dear Governor and incoming Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, are instant statement that when we are commit to a course with unbroken resolution, there is no looking back like Lot’s wife!
“The task of tackling unemployment among the youth is surmountable and as an intervention agency, DESOPADEC will continue to respond to the yearnings of our mandate areas.” he stated.
