NDE to train 1,548 youths nationwide on environmental beautification

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) says no fewer than 1,548 youths will benefit from its training on environmental beautification nationwide.

The Acting Director-General (D-G) of the NDE, Mr Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo stated this while declaring open the training of 88 participants on Tuesday in Kano.

According to him, the training is under Environmental Beautification Training Scheme (EBTS), through the Special Public Works (SPWs) department of the NDE.

Nuhu-Fikpo, represented by a Director from the NDE headquarters, Agbomtere Nimat, said the training was part of the Federal Government effort to gainfully engage dropout and school certificate holders on soft and hard landscaping skills.

“EBTS was designed for the training of unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions and non-graduates on hard and soft landscaping that leads to the acquisition of skills in erosion control and environmental beautification, protection and sanitation.

“The training duration is three months and each of the beneficiaries will be given an allowance every month.  At the end, participants benefit from starter-packs, made up of requisite tools and equipment,” he said.

He added that two participants were selected from each Local Government Area (LGA) nationwide, while 88 were selected from the 44 LGAs in Kano.

According to Nuhu-Fikpo, the beautification training scheme will afford beneficiaries the opportunity  to be self-employed and become employers of labour.

He commended the benefiting youths for their zeal to get trained.

Suleiman Ibrahim, one of the beneficiaries said the training would give them the opportunity to acquire knowledge on environmental beautification, so that at the end they could establish their own business.

“I am married, with two children and I am not working in any government organisations, therefore, this will assist me to start my own business and take care of my family,” he said.

Ibrahim commended the Federal Government and the NDE for such initiative, adding that it was a welcome development to assist the youths.