100 youths complete 5-Day Skills Acquisition Exercise

Emmanuel Alfred

In line with the Cross River State Governor, His Excellency, Sen Ben Ayade’s commitment to youth development, a total of 100 youths from the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River State on Friday, 28 October 2022, concluded their skills acquisition training at the Construction and Fabrication Academy of West Africa, Calabar.

The youths were beneficiaries of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) training in conjunction with the Cross River State Government to train and empower young people on Modern Electrical Installation and Maintenance.

The beneficiaries of the training, who were visibly excited by the gesture from NASENI and the Cross River State Government praised the Government’s commitment to the youths of the State and promised to make judicious use of all skills learned.

Speaking at the Closing Ceremony, Governor Ayade, represented by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Tanko Ashang SAN, restated his Administration’s commitment to collaborate with key stakeholders to train and acquire skills that would create an ecosystem to give livelihood to creative minds.

The Governor, who assured that his administration is to make life a lot easier and beneficial to all residents of the state, especially the youths, said the State is committed to equipping the youths with requisite skills that will make them self-employed and employers of labor.

In his remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman/Executive Director of NASENI, Engr. Prof. M. S. Haruna, represented by Dr. Chika commended the doggedness of the participants and urged them to explore the creative industry with training received from the exercise.

The Vice Chairman, who commended Governor Ayade’s administration for huge investment in the youths, praised the Cross State Government for building an edifice like the Construction and Fabrication Academy of West Africa, where all kinds of skills can be learned.

Haruna also urged the beneficiaries not to sell the tools given to them after the training so they can also help to fight the issue of unemployment in the country.

Speaking earlier, Cross River State Commissioner for Youths Development and Skills Acquisitions Hon. Signor Omang Idiege (Ada Bekwarra II), said the initiative was to make the youths agents of change in the creative industry and break new grounds to enable them become self-reliant.

Ada Bekwarra II said the concept had been expanded to develop the electrical field for optimum performance to stimulate economic growth and job creation to bridge the gap in the state’s creative industry.

The commissioner, while congratulating the beneficiaries, assured them that the Cross River State Government would continue to monitor their growth and assist them where necessary, while thanking Governor Ayade for investing in the youth by appointing them to his cabinet and equipping them with requisite skills.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Petroleum, who is also the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Secretary for the training, Hon. Itaya Nyong thanked President Buhari for bringing the training to Cross River State, adding that the training is expedient to make its contribution to youth employment and helping them to be self-sufficient.

Nyong stated that as a means of reducing unemployment in the state, the need for skills acquisition would further strengthen the economy and breed new entrepreneurs that will change the economic landscape of the country.

The graduate trainees were trained in cabling, switches, distribution boards, sockets, and light fittings in a structure, among others.

In the end, the trainees received certificates, stipends and work tools to enhance knowledge.