Mr Lawan Yaya, the state coordinator, National Directorate of Employment, Bauchi State chapter, has called on youths to embrace its various vocational and skill acquisitions programmes.
Yaya made the call in Bauchi on Wednesday when a group, under the aegis of Bauchi State Association for Youth Development (BSAYD), presented him with an award of excellence.
The state coordinator explained that the mandate of the NDE was to reduce unemployment in the country.
He noted that the agency was trying its best to ensure that the mandate was achievable in Bauchi State.
According to him, the NDE’s many vocational and skill acquisition programmes are aimed at eradicating unemployment in the country.
Yaya urged youths, particularly the unemployed and under-employed ones, to patronise the body.
“Our mandate is to reduce unemployment in the country and try to give mass employment opportunities to the teeming unemployed youths in the country.
“In Bauchi State, we are trying our best to see that we achieve that mandate and with your assistance, I mean the press, I hope you will disseminate our programmes to the masses.
“They should patronise NDE; they should come to us because we have so many training opportunities, so many employment opportunities abound in this directorate.
“We are calling on people to come to NDE for training and skill acquisitions,” he said.
Yaya expressed excitement over the award presented to him by the BASYD.
The coordinator added that he had no idea that the group had been keeping tabs on the performance of NDE in the state.
“What touched me most was that this association had been monitoring the activities of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state and we never knew that they were watching, appraising and gauging performances.
“They had been conducting surveys and research on the development of MDAs; and NDE happens to have been selected for this award and we are really excited and happy about it,” he said.
Mr Imrana Bala, Chairman, BSAYD, said the award was given to NDE based on careful observation and research in the state.
He said the state coordinator of NDE carried the less privileged along in all the programmes of the directorate.
Bala added that with his determination of empowering the Youth, a lot of programmes carried out by NDE, which were not known to the people were made known.
“Our youths have learnt a lot of skills acquisition programmes under him such as tailoring, mechanic, bricklaying, tie and dye, among others.
“However, nobody knows there were such programmes in the NDE in the past, but during Yaya’s tenure, we got to know that these programmes exist in NDE,” he said. (NAN)
