By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Nigeria's Minister of Labour and Employment, Hon. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi has appealed to the 62 beneficiaries of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) resetlment loan in Sokoto not to use the money for marriage or other non productive ventures.
Dingyadi, who made the appeal at the Sultan Maccido Institute of Quranic and General Studies, Sokoto, during the resettlement ceremony for 62 Pilot Skills Training beneficiaries, added that, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led administration through the Renewed Hope Agenda is touching many lives positively.
The Minister in a keynote address by his representative, Alhaji Harande Mahe said, the beneficiaries should endeavour to be good ambassadors of their respective families, communities and state by ensuring that they put the money I to productive use and inturn help others to grow.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Director General (DG) of NDE, Mr. Silas Ali Agara said the Loan Resettlement for 62 Pilot Skills Training Beneficiaries in Sokoto was a welcome development, hence it marks yet another important milestone in their drive for self reliance and job creation.
The DG, Silas Agara represented by NDE Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs Olutoyin Olayinka
said the 62 beneficiaries have completed their trainings under the VSD, SPW and BBT.
"Today is a significant milestone in our collective effort to transform skills acquisition into sustainable livelihoods, productive enterprises and employment opportunities".
Continuing, Mr Silas Agara said, "The National Directorate of Employment recognises that training, though essential, must be complemented with the necessary support to enable beneficiaries to put their skills into practice.
"The resettlement soft loans (N300,000.00) for VSD, (N 200,000.00) for SPW trained beneficiaries) being provided today are therefore intended to bridge the gap between training and entreprise development".
Silas Agara further divulged that the NDE under the Renewed Hope Phase 111 is currently training more than 26,000 unemployed persons in the skills
sets.
Giving his vote of thanks, Sokoto State Coordinator of NDE, Malam Ibrahim Bello Magaji thanked all for their various contributions towards the success of the resettlement soft loan to 62 beneficiaries in Sokoto.
"As we depart, may we cary with us the conviction that today's intervention represents not merely the conclusion of a training programme, bit the begining of new opportunities for enterprise development, self-reliance, employment creation and improved livelihoods", Malam Ibrahim Magaji enthused.
Speaking to the gathering in her closing remarks, NDE Director, Small Scale Development Department, Hajiya Amina Shetima said the RHEI in Sokoto represents a transition from skills acquisition to practical economic empowerment.
Reacting onbehalf of the 62 beneficiaries, Shafiu Umar and Sharatu Yusuf thanked NDE for the opportunity, even as they promised to be good ambassadors of their respective families and state. NNL.
