Over 350 women and youths have graduated from the skills acquisition programme organised by Sokoto state government under its citizens’ empowerment initiative.
The programme, coordinated by the state ministry of women and children affairs, followed the recent graduation of 2000 women from another empowerment initiative meant to enhance job creation and tackle poverty.
Speaking at the graduation of the last batch of 132 trainees at the Wamakko Training Centre at the weekend, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said the overall objective of his administration is to improve the lives of the citizenry by making them self-reliant.
He said the training, which specifically targeted youngsters who have dropped out of school, will now give them the opportunity to acquire basic numeric and vocational skills that will make them useful to the society and themselves.
The Governor, represented by the state commissioner of youth and sports, Musa Ausa, commended the trainees for their diligence during the period of their training, saying government will continue to support them in whatever way possible to enable them realize their objectives in life.
Tambuwal used the occasion to appeal to the entire students of Sokoto state to redouble their effort in seeking for knowledge as it is the bedrock of any meaningful development.
In her remarks, the commissioner of women and children affairs, Hajiya Kulu Sifawa, said the ministry had earlier rehabilitated and trained 132 women in various skills to enable them confront future challenges.
“In addition, another set of 100 were trained and given start-up capital in skills like tailoring, knitting among others. We are monitoring the beneficiaries to ensure that they have deployed the skills and assist others in their communities,” she added.
According to her, skills learnt at the Wamakko Training Centre include tailoring, knitting, carpentry, tye and dye, soap making among others.
She thanked Governor Tambuwal for approving and funding the programme, and called on the trained youths to use the skills they acquired to raise their socio-economic status.
The 123 youth both males and females, drawn from different local government areas in the state, were given working tools based on the skills acquired and some amount of money for take up.
