NAN-H-140
Graduation
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, March 2, 2017 (NAN) The National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), on Thursday awarded certificates to 365 students trained in different vocational skills.
The Acting Director-General, Malam Sadeeq Omar, made this known at the graduation of the participants in Abuja.
The breakdown of the students shows that the Fashion and Garment making programme as usual topped the list with 108 students, followed by Hospitality and Tourism 35, interior and outdoor decoration 35,
Others are catering 68, cake-baking, decoration and sugar craft nine, bread and pastry four, tie and dye six, make up and head gear is 15, while bead and Jewellery making is 12.
He explained that the Fashion industry in Nigeria is very dynamic and can earn foreign exchange for the country in future.
The director-general said that the event could not have taken place at a better than now that the economy is being diversified.
Sadeeq said that acquisition of vocational skills would go a long way to reducing the rate of unemployment in the country.
According to him, start-up capital is now posing the greatest challenge to the graduates interested in setting up their own businesses.
“We are calling on agencies with such window of funding to partner with us to bridge the gap.
“As we continue to contribute our quota in building lives, we are calling on development partners, wealthy individuals and corporate bodies to join hands in rebuilding the lives of women and children who have lost their means of survival as result of insurgency.”
Meanwhile, the acting director-general said the centre had also planned to train150 internally displaced persons in Adamawa and Borno as part of the Federal Government’s efforts at rehabilitating and integrating them.
He said that the economic empowerment of these female IDPs is crucial to their protection, welfare and well-being.
Ms Jummai Idonije, the Director, Training and Development of the centre, said the centre would monitor the improvement of the graduands in line with their training.
“They have to be very innovative in what they do and be more committed; they were taught on self esteem, civic education and finally vocational skills, all of these must be put to maximum use,” she said.
An interior and outdoor decoration graduate, Miss Kemi Toluhi, advised youths to develop their skills for the purpose of being self-reliant. (NAN)
OEO/OSA/AFA
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Felix Ajide