In its attempt to  equip youths with relevant skills for self and community development, the Gbaramatu Youths Council, GYC, ably-led by its President, Mr. Egbejule Arerebo Kingsley, has inspected an abandoned skill acquisition center built by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in Oporoza Town, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, to assess its current state as well as fathom out ways the project can fulfill its purpose.

The inspection team comprises of members of the GYC and the programmes coordinator, Mrs. Bekenawei Nwachukwu, who spearheaded the visit on Friday, August 2, 2024.

According to Mrs. Bekenawei, the skill acquisition training facility which houses up to 25 administrative offices and workshops, with an auditorium, a leisure theater, and accommodation apartments, has been more than 10 to 15 years in existence without any equipment.

"From what we heard from community members, it has been not more than 10, 15 years. The project houses up to 25 administrative offices and workshops, like what I saw. It was quite a big facility with an auditorium, a big leisure theater, and yes, one or two accommodation apartments.

"And so the Gbaramatu Youth Council thought it wise to put everything in place to revamp the center so our youths can be engaged with skills that will better their tomorrow, especially with this present economy where finding a white-collar job has now become something else.

"So, if the various skills are brought to our seemingly wonderful terrain, it will be a huge added advantage to take most of our youths out of the streets that have been ravaged with several societal elements like drugs abuse, and the rest of it. That is a major challenge that we have right now," Mrs. Bekenawei hinted.

The inspection team while taking a tour around the facility, which has become a dwelling abode for some persons, noticed some sections of it has been dilapidated and would need immediate repairs in order for it to be put into its intended use.

"We are looking at ICT, soap making, woodwork, leather work, fashion and design, welding and fabrication, catering and hotel management, and some sort of short-term courses as well," revealed Mrs. Bekenawei while hinting PENGlobal Community on tne intended use of the facility when renovated.

The programmes coordinator praised the leadership of Gbaramatu for the zeal shown so far in contributing to the positive development of the youths and appealed to other stakeholders to key into this life changing programme.

"And then, we understand that the Gbaramatu nation has always been a nation that is so passionate about the development of our teem of youths, so the support that the GYC has been receiving from the traditional, the leaders and stakeholders is so overwhelming that we know that the programme is going to be a huge success.

"I call on the Delta State government, on the federal government, representative in every arms of government to key into this very loud project. We already have the structure on ground. They should make every possible resources available to see that this programme is a huge success, which indeed is going to be a greater source of employment to our youth, getting the youth out of the streets.

"This is so timely considering the economic challenges that we have and the cry of the youth wanting to get a better life for themselves which is the reason why the protest is all over the place. If the youths are gainfully trained and they are self-employed they will in turn take more youth out of the streets and replicate this training that they've gotten in their immediate community, which indeed will be a better source of employment," she added.

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