The Dangote Refinery Group on Monday flagged-off a six months skills acquisition programme for 200 youths in Ibeju-Lekki Community in Lekki Free Trade Zone, to curb unemployment in Lagos State.
The training, which is being conducted in collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), was flagged-off by Dangote Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Mr Devakumar Edwin.
The training cuts across a wide range of vocational skills including welding, electrical technician, plumbing, auto mechanic, radio and television repairs, refrigerator and AC repairs, building and furniture making.
Edwin said the initiative was in line with the vision of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, to provide employment opportunities for the youths, especially those within the company’s host communities.
He said addressing Nigeria’s unemployment crisis requires providing platforms for youths to learn various vocational trades that would enable them to develop themselves and also become employers of labour.
“We know that there are a lot of graduates out there looking for jobs and that is why you should focus and take this training by the NDE seriously.
” We will train you, we will equip you and also ensure that you will be employable or become entrepreneurs.
“My advice is that you should take advantage of this training to better your lives and contribute positively to the society, ” Edwin said.
The Lagos State Coordinator of the NDE, Mrs Serena Edward, lauded Dangote Group for initiating the vocational training for the youths in the community which began in 2019.
Edward said : “We are training the youths to acquire skills in various trades through master trainers.
“The objective of the training is to give youths skills that they will be able to generate wealth and curb unemployment.
“The skills will make them useful to themselves and the society. They will become self-employed and also generate employment for others.”
She disclosed that some graduands from the 2019 pilot scheme of the programme were employed by Dangote Refinery and its contractors while others chose to operate on their own.
Edward noted that the training would be conducted in line with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
On his part, Oba Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun, the Oni-Lekki of Lekki commended Dangote Refinery for initiating the training and for the support to the communities in the locality.
Ogunbekun, represented by the Awo of Lekki, Chief Adewale Salami, advised the participants to fully utilise the training to better their lives and make positive impact in the society.
Speaking on behalf the participants, Mr Abiodun Ajayi said they were excited to be given the opportunity of acquiring vocational skills that would impact their lives positively.
Ajayi who thanked the Dangote Refinery Group for the training and promised that the participants would be focused in order to actualise its objectives.
