By Talatu Maiwada

The National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) has inaugurated the Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme in Adamawa, with 355 beneficiaries selected across the state.

Mrs Mary Yuwadi, State Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Adamawa State Social Investment Programme Agency (ADSSIPA), inaugurated the programme in Yola South.

She said the initiative was designed to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment by equipping young Nigerians with marketable vocational and technical skills.

“The programme is one of the Federal Government’s social intervention initiatives aimed at promoting inclusive economic growth and improving livelihoods.

“The programme comprised four components: N-Power, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme,” she said.

According to her, N-Power is specifically designed to help young Nigerians acquire lifelong skills and become self-reliant while contributing to national economic development.

She said beneficiaries were selected through an online application process, during which applicants chose their preferred vocational skills before deployment to training centres.

The coordinator listed the skills to include plumbing, masonry, electrical installation, welding and fabrication, tailoring, baking, catering, carpentry, auto mechanics, agriculture technology, housekeeping and vulcanising, among others.

Yuwadi said seven accredited training centres were selected across Adamawa to implement the programme.

She identified them as: Adamawa Skill Acquisition Centre, Yola South; Vocational Technical Training Centre, Mayo Belwa; Vocational Technical Training Centre, Jibiro, Girei; The Binder Knowledge Centre International, among others.

Yuwadi urged participants to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire practical skills that would make them self-reliant and productive members of society.

“I encourage you all to put in your best to acquire the needed skills, become self-reliant and contribute positively to the economy of your communities and the nation at large,” she said.

She commended President Bola Tinubu for introducing the Renewed Hope initiative and appreciated Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri for providing an enabling environment for the programme in the state.

Also speaking, Mr Junaidu Kachalla, State Programme Manager, N-Power Programme, said preparations for the training had been completed.

Kachalla said beneficiaries underwent a rigorous selection process, while accredited training centres and certified facilitators were engaged for the programme.

He said the facilitators were registered with relevant professional bodies and possessed the expertise required to deliver quality vocational training.

According to him, the seven centres were strategically selected across the state’s three senatorial districts to ensure wider participation from the 21 local government areas.

Kachalla said the beneficiaries would undergo two weeks of intensive training before proceeding on a three-month internship at specialised training centres in their chosen trades.

He expressed optimism that additional batches of beneficiaries would be enrolled after the completion of the current phase.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi