FG TO TRAIN 40,000 YOUTHS IN ICT, DIGITAL SKILLS.

The Federal Government on Friday said about 4,000 Nigerians will be trained in Information Communication Technology, ICT, and digital skills under the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, RHEI.

The government also said that 3,000 slots out of the 93,731 beneficiaries of the scheme under the supervision of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, have been reserved for persons with special needs.

Director General of NDE, Honourable Silas Agara disclosed this at the official flag-off of the RHEI at the NDE Federal Capital Territory, FCT Skills Acquisition Center, Kuduru, Bwari Area Council, Abuja.

Hon. Agara explained that out of the 3,000 slots reserved for persons with special needs, each state of the federation including the FCT is expected to have 81 slots.

He said some of the beneficiaries will be resettled into productive entrepreneurial lives through the provision of tools, equipment and startup capital,while discussions are ongoing with credit granting institutions to ensure that every beneficiary of the scheme is settled.

According to him, “The current employment initiative has been designed to engage a total of 93,731 unskilled and unemployed persons across Nigeria.

” Inclusiveness has been a cardinal consideration as we designed this programme. We have ensured that a minimum of 10 persons from each of the 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria were recruited to benefit from the 30 skills set across our four core programmed of vocational skills development, small scale enterprises, rural employment promotion and special public works.

“Furthermore, various categories of the unskilled and unemployed have been provided for within the framework of the programme such as school leavers, school dropouts, women, graduates of tertiary institutions, retirees and persons with special needs among others.

” I would like to add that after the training, a good number of the beneficiaries will be resetled into productive entrepreneurial lives through the provisions of tools, equipment and startup capital.

“However, those that we are not able to resettle will be linked with credit Granting Institutions for further support.”

The NDE Director General assured that under his watch, the directorate has ensured the adoption of cutting edge technology in the design and execution of the programme.

“I am delighted to inform you that 40,000 out of the 93,731 persons enrolled in this programme will be receiving training in ICT and digital skills. This is a deliberate step by the NDE in order to equip our youths with emerging skills that will enable them become globally competitive.”