NGO COMMENDS FG FOR TRAINING 250 AKS YOUTHS

 

The Director-General of an Uyo-based NGO, Barr. Mbet Okpongete, has said that the Centre for Policy & Human Rights Issues  has commended the Federal government for training over 250 Akwa Ibom Youths in various skills in Nigeria and overseas under the amnesty programme instituted for the repentant Niger Delta Militants, stressing that the programme has yielded positive results as it has rehabilitated the youths.

Speaking further through its DG, the Human Rights protection body noted with regret that the skills so acquired by the youths could constitute a colossal waste, as the now employable youths have remained unemployed for too long.

Barr. Okpongete who is also a social crusader, called on Akwa Ibom State government to organize a job fair, to expose these youths to various companies or firms engaging in the production of goods or services relevant to the nature of skills acquired by the youths. Through the job fair, the human rights crusader added, most employers of labour would locate the nature of skills required for the companies and then enlist the youths with such skills for employment.

To boost the state economy the human rights outfit which is also known as “the centre”, stressed that if the youths were gainfully employed, such would place them in a stable frame of mind as well as reduce the burden of overdependence on government.

According to a press release dated August 10, 2012, endorsed by the Centre’s D.G. and made available to Weekly Insight, the NGO was also of the opinion that at this time of widespread insecurity experienced across the nation, it would do the state a substantial good if the youths are gainfully engaged, as their continued idleness could portend for the state the worst condition of insecurity never experienced before in the annals of the state, since an idle man is construed to be the devil’s workshop.