The Niger state government has organised a skills acquisition training programme for 250 youths as part of efforts to check indolence among them.
The youths are being trained on skills like electrical installation, bricklaying, carpentry/joinery and plumbing,
Other skills include pipe fitting, painting, driving, auto mechanic and POP making.
The two-month training being held at Minna Institute of Technology and Innovation, is being undertaken in collaboration with the National Communication Commission and the College of Education, Minna.
At a ceremony to formally declare the training open on Thursday, Hajiya Nana Ibrahim, Provost of the Institution, said that the trainees would be issued a National Innovation Diploma equivalent to the one awarded by Polytechnics.
She said that the training would create an avenue to reduce social vices and unemployment in the society, and appealed to government to develop facilities in the institution to enhance teaching and learning and facilitate the monitoring of students sent on attachment.
She appealed to the state government to also ensure that the institution was accredited to by the National University Commission.
In his remarks, Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, who congratulated the students for gaining admission into the institution, said that the state government was targeting 1,000 youths on its various skills acquisition programmes.
He advised the students to take the training seriously and acquire skills to better their lots and that of their families.
“You will be given starter packs at the end of the training to support you to set up businesses,” he said.
The governor cautioned the students against selling the starter packs given to them, and advised other youths to embrace the skills acquisition programme to become self-reliant.
He advised the management of the institution to prepare a formal request document on the requirement to get the institution accredited.
Mr Abdullahi Mohammed, President of National Association of Students in the Institution commended the state government for the initiative to train youths to acquire skills. (NAN)
