4,100 non militant youths benefit from World Bank-EU skills acquisition scheme in Bayelsa

Bayelsa  government Sunday said that 4,100 non violent youths in the state benefitted from the State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) Project skills training programme between 2015 and 2016.

Deputy Governor Chief John Jonah disclosed this while speaking at the opening ceremony of SEEFOR youth training programme on money management and entrepreneurship skills in Yenagoa, the state capital.

A new batch of 3,000 beneficiaries have been engaged and are being trained to execute the current phase of the labour-intensive public works component of the SEEFOR Project.

The training is intended to enable beneficiaries use their compulsory savings of N5,000 monthly out of N20,000 monthly stipend to start their business after their one year training.

 Jonah attributed the success recorded to the existing partnership between the World  Bank, European Union, Federal Government of Nigeria and the Bayelsa State Government who are the funders of the project.

 Jonah was represented by the Permanent Secretary at the state Ministry of Science and Technology, Bomonyo Amachree, who is also the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the training programme.

He advised the beneficiaries not to misunderstand the project as the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) of the Federal Government  for former militants in the Niger Delta region.

 The deputy governor explained that the PAP was designed for people who have not behaved well by working against the laws of the country.

 He also clarified that the SEEFOR programme is designed for those who are God-fearing, civil and ready to acquire skills.

 While challenging beneficiaries of the training programme to exploit the opportunity to better their future, Jonah insisted that the beneficiaries are not like ex-militants who are being treated in an atmosphere of tension.

Mr Tarinyo Akono,  SEEFOR Communications Officer, explained that trainings are being conducted at  Ogbia town for beneficiaries in Ogbia, Brass and Nembe LGAs, and at Amassoma town for Southern Ijaw LGA beneficiaries.

Also at Ekeremor and Sagbama town  for beneficiaries in Ekeremor, Sagbama and Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA.

 He noted that it is not easy to work and save resources considering the harsh economic realities, emphasizing that the impact of the training would be realized if the beneficiaries put what they have learnt to practice.

In his remarks, SEEFOR Project Acting Co-Ordinator, Mr Charles Enuma, said that the SEEFOR has Craft Development Centres in Sagbama, Polaku in Yenagoa LGA, and Nembe to ensure that youths acquire skills.

Enuma expressed satisfaction that the state government has so far not failed in youth empowerment in the state and enjoined beneficiaries of the training programme to take the acquisition of skills seriously.