- Graduate 68 trainees
The European Union and Economic Communities of West Africa and the Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE-Africa) have called for support for youths who renounce violence.
The groups and the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) made the call at the graduation ceremony for 68 trainees in the second batch of the EU-ECOWAS Small Arms Action Project, held in Enugu.
Dr. Joseph Bisina, Executive Director, LITE-AFRICA, who spoke on behalf of the EU-ECOWAS during the programme, said EU and ECOWAS funded the Small Arms and Light Weapon (SALW) Action aimed at equipping repentant youths with their chosen and desired skills for personal and economic growth.
While congratulating the new graduates, Bisina urged them to make good use of the opportunity and continue to make good choices in life.
He said the next phase will be to set them all up by providing them with a starter pack, but added that their start-up will not be automatic as character, behaviour and attitude will determine largely who will benefit from the next stage.
“In a bid to promote peace, reduce armed conflicts, and small arms proliferation in the region, the Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE-Africa) and the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) with support from the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is working to strengthen efforts aimed at preventing the further proliferation and trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nigeria,” he said.
Bisina thanked G-Consulting for the good work, stressing that “the training of livelihood beneficiaries in the various vocational and agricultural skills training was contracted to G. Consulting by LITE-Africa working with PRESCOM. G. Consulting acted as the training coordinator in all the skills training.”
“At this Enugu training centre we are graduating 68 persons in various skills in welding, aluminum works, electrical installation, automobile mechanic, furniture, ICT, fashion design, block molding/interlocking, installation of solar, chemist, driving, speed boat repair, photography/videography, generator repair, catering/decoration,” Bisina said.
Others, according to Bisina, were, hair-dressing, make-up artist, tiling, 3D flooring, shoe-making, poultry, panel beating, phone repair, POP, dulmer/timber, GMP/glasswork, graphics design/printing, architectural works, and industrial cleaning from the various training centres in Enugu.”
