The Federal Government through the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) has successfully trained and empowered one thousand youths in Kano State on GSM Phone Repairs, Maintenance, Software and Hardware specialization. The six month training exposed participants from the area to an End-to-End delivery process used to entail hand-holding beneficiaries through classroom training, apprenticeship and mentorship phases until they settle down to start an entrepreneurship life.
The first batch of beneficiaries consist of 600 youths who were issued certificates and are expected to replicate the new techniques acquired to generate employment and income in their various communities. The empowerment program initiated by the NCDMB and facilitated by a Federal lawmaker representing Nassarawa Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Nassir Ali Ahmed is part of efforts to create millions of jobs for Nigerian youths.
“The ingenuity by the Board is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to lift ten million Nigerians out of poverty by the year, 2023”, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Tmipre Sylva said at the maiden graduation ceremony of the GSM technicians trained on various empowerment programs in Kano.
Chief Sylva stated that the commitment of the Buhari-led administration to lift the youths out of poverty and unemployment remain unwavering as demonstrated in its various empowerment programs which he observed that NCDMB is already making significant progress in delivering this priority.
He also mentioned that it is imperative to develop local talents that can repair and maintain this essential commodity and ultimately create an enabling environment for smartphone assembly plants to be established in Nigeria, while also supporting youths to develop software applications for various uses.
The Minister of State commended the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), and the National Directorate for Employment, (NDE) for being credible partners to NCDMB and enjoined the graduates to fully apply the knowledge acquired, to contribute to national development.
In his address, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote who spoke via zoom charged beneficiaries of the training to dedicate themselves to the business of smartphone repairs, maintenance, software and hardware specialization to be self-reliant, employers of labour, and serve as role models for the remaining 400 youths undergoing similar training and indeed other youths from the North West.
Engr. Wabote cautioned graduands to adhere strictly to the code of practice included in their training to avoid handling phones from questionable sources and to differentiate them from other GSM repair outlets.
Also in a goodwill message, the Federal lawmaker and member of the House Committee on Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring, Hon. Nassir Ali Ahmed said the empowerment program will help more Nigerian youths stay financially independent at the phone repairs market and the necessary tools for work has been made available to them to kick-start their businesses.
Hon. Ahmed urged the beneficiaries to use the acquired knowledge for personal and societal growth. He prayed that in the long-run, the youths would also sponsor other people to also learn the trade. The lawmaker thanked NCDMB for the wonderful opportunity to his constituents, and NITDA for ranking the project a success.
In his words, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero represented by the Maigirma Fagacin Kano, Alhaji Habibu Bello Dankadei described the occasion as timely more especially now that government at all levels is making great efforts in creating an enabling environment for the youths to acquire skills particularly in ICT, hence, the importance of computer knowledge cannot be over-emphasised.
The Royal Father appreciated the youths for their passion and interest in the training and urged them to be upright and put in their best to champion the course which would greatly impact them to generate more income for their self-sustenance and that of their families, and equally add value to the internally generated revenue of the state and Nigeria at large.
The Emir advised the graduands and the incoming trainees to judiciously utilize the knowledge acquired in a responsible manner without indulging in any vice that would impede their growth and tarnish their image. Others who spoke at the ceremony held at Bristol Palace Hotel, Kano were representatives of NITDA, NDE and ITF.
The training achieved its immediate positive objectives as beneficiaries were given starter-packs, laptop computers, certificates of completion of the training program and allotment of one thousand shops rented for them to commence business in earnest.
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