NDDC: We Won’t Abandon Niger Delta Youths After Training, Says Akwa

The Interim Administrator, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Effiong Akwa, has vowed to train Niger Delta youths in various skills and engage them in meaningful ventures after their training.

Akwa said the commission under his watch would no longer allow youths to remain unemployed and roam aimlessly after undergoing skill acquisition programmes.

Akwa spoke through his Special Adviser on Youth Matters, Engr Udengs Eradiri , who paid a visit to a Welding and Fitting facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday.

Eradiri acknowledged the drive and zeal of the company’s management saying he was impressed with the equipment and facilities on ground.

He said: “The facility is amazing, and the drive to impact on the lives of our people is a motivating factor to me. The present interim management of the board led by Barr. Effiong Okon Akwa is poised to training the youths of the region and engaging them. We are not training and abandoning the youths but ensuring that they are gainfully engaged.

“We want to ensure that as we anticipate the coming on stream of Bonny LNG Train 7 and other major projects in the oil and gas industry, our youths will be properly trained and certified.

“Training in welding, fabrication and fitting will enable the youths of the region to compete favourably with their counterparts from the other parts of the country and elsewhere.

In his response, the MD/CEO of the ompany, Gelo Integrated Services Nig. Ltd., Amb. Godfrey Eruahe, who conducted the SA and his delegation round the facilities, said the firm was in charge of huge welding, fabrication and fitting jobs for multinationals.

Eruahe said the company would support the NDDC to train, build and develop the capacity of the youths of the region.

He said: “We have since the inception of this company embarked on huge welding, fabrication and fitting jobs for multinationals in the oil and gas industry and other sectors. Our works are visible for all to see. Our desire is to ensure that youths of the region take advantage of our facility, and be trained to be self-reliant and be productive to the region.

“I feel troubled in my heart when I see youths that ought to be useful to the society and their families being engaged in wasteful ventures.

“I have resolved in my heart to pass on my knowledge to the youths and younger generation to help curb youth restiveness, pipeline vandalism and other vices in the society.

“Our region is blessed and we owe ourselves a duty to tap into these boundless opportunities to engage our youths”.