Foundation empowers 106 Delta youths with skills

In a bid to address insecurity, unemployment and achieve peace in the country, a foundation, Mercy Help, has trained 106 youths in skills acquisition.

The international coordinator of the foundation, Mr Michael Nnamdi, told South-South PUNCH that it is hard for youths to survive the current situation in Nigeria without skills.

He said, “Mercy Help Foundation presents skills acquisition programme for the youths to create a culture of peace and youth as agent of development.

“Today, you cannot survive in Nigeria without skills, even as a graduate; there is no job available for the youths because government cannot give employment to everyone.

“So, we are here to tell you that you can make it without paper certificate. To go to school and get certificate is very good, it is an added advantage to the skill you have.

“There are a lot of skills you can learn and make money to avoid being a problem to the society. There is no better time to learn skill in Nigeria than now, even while you are in school.

“This is the right time to learn skill, develop yourself and add value to the society; nobody is ready to employ you even with your best certificate.”

Nnamdi said that the foundation will select over 30 persons for empowerment in various skills among the 106 trainees.

In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the foundation, Mr Peter Okaegwu, who thanked the foundation for organizing the training, said certificate can no longer put food on the table as it was in the past.

He said education was a guide to one’s future, stressing that numbers of graduates even to Master degree level are currently driving tricycle, Okada, taxi because of unemployment.

He added, “In the past, as you are graduating, there were a lot companies waiting to employ you, even coming to school to pick the best, but today, most of the these companies have closed down.

“NYSC is turning out graduates on quarterly basis, but no job to accommodate them and people are now roaming around the streets, leading to insecurity. We are grateful to the foundation for bringing this training to the youths in order to achieve peace.”

Speaking on behalf of the participants, a 400-level student of the Federal College if Education, (Technical), Asaba, Princess Uchenna applauded the foundation for the enlightenment, especially at a time like today’s Nigeria.

Uchenna, who is into perfume making, said the awareness for them to learn skill and create businesses of their own was apt, especially this era of unemployment, stressing that the training will make them productive, which in turn promote peace in the country.