The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Festus Ochonogor, has said that the successful training and presentation of starter-packs to the intervention agency's 4th batch of 195 trainees of its Skill Academy is "another dream fulfilled" that aligns with “the M.O.R.E agenda of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta State.”

Chief Ochonogor while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 4th batch of trainees of the DESOPADEC Skill Academy, DSA, which held at the PTI Conference Center in Effurun on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, also disclosed that the DSA has so far trained 600 beneficiaries since the inception of the programme in 2021.

The breakdown of the 195 graduands presented starter-packs and were trained for six months on their preferred vocational disciplines include Catering and Confectionaries, 76; Fashion Design, 56; Hair Dressing and Makeover, 28; Welding and Fabrication, 21; Software and Hardware Development, 9; POP, Tiling and Interlocking, 4; and Electrical Installation and Repairs, 1.

According to Chief Ochonogor, the graduands were also subjected to "practical and theory-based examinations, including those of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity," and were awarded the "FML & P Trade Test Certificates 2 and 3" as well as "DESOPADEC Skill Academy Certificate of Competence" which “qualify them to work and operate in and outside Delta State.”

While congratulating the graduands, the DESOPADEC MD / CEO admonished them to not disappoint and undermine the costly effort put in by the state government in training them, but that they should support the government "to lift others from the deprivation and unemployment bracket" in their trades.

Meanwhile, Rt. Hon Basil Ganagana, Special Adviser (SA) on DESOPADEC who represented Governor Oborevwori at the ceremony that was well attended by traditional fathers, other government as well as DESOPADEC officials, in his speech, reiterated the fact that the era of giving handouts is over as the aim of the skill acquisition is to turn youths into agents of wealth and job creation.

He said, “It is no secret that many Nigerians are falling into the poverty bracket daily, and the percentage of the unemployed and underemployed is worrisome," he stated. "Skills training and entrepreneurship development is one of the surest ways of ridding our society of the scourge of youth unemployment and the attendant youth restiveness. This is exactly what DESOPADEC is doing with its Skills Academy, which equips our youths with the technical know-how, vocational skills, values, and resources to become wealth and job creators," he added.

He also doled out business strategies bordering on growing and protecting finances the graduands should embrace if they are to succeed in their various vocations in the long run.

Also speaking at the graduation ceremony, Chairman of DESOPADEC Board, Hon. (Chief) John Nani, urged the beneficiaries to desist from selling off their starter-packs as such act defeats the purpose of training, but that instead, they should put them to efficient use to encourage the state government to sustain the programme, which he noted was in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations.

On his part, the Executive Directorate of Social Services, Chief Favour Izuokumor, advised the graduands during his presentation that “These skills should be seen as opportunities to develop your communities. Embrace your uniqueness and let it guard you on the path ahead. I implore you to embrace obstacles as opportunities for growth. Never stop learning, as the world is constantly evolving."

Earlier, in a chat with media teams, the EDSS said the six-month programme which was conceived to take youths off the streets by empowering them with needed skills, was to solve the issue of unemployment so as to reduce crime, poverty, and agitations by youths.

He said those not aware of the DESOPADEC initiative and that have not benefitted should not be wary as the programme has come to stay, especially for the youths of the intervention agency's mandate oil producing areas.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of awards and a N500,000 cash prize to one of the best students and the overall best graduate trainee, Ruth Samuel, who scored 97% in Catering and Confectionary. The best students in each of the vocations were also presented N200,000 take-off grant along with a multimillion-naira starter-pack to enable them to kickstart their vocations.

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