The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has reaffirmed the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration to reducing youth unemployment by empowering beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI) Phase II with business starter packs and vocational equipment in Imo State.
Speaking at the resettlement ceremony in Owerri, the Acting Director-General of the NDE, Mr Edmund Onwuliri, said the initiative is a key part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at promoting skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and job creation.
He noted that the programme not only equips participants with vocational skills but also provides the tools needed to establish sustainable businesses.
“The tools and equipment you receive today should be seen as instruments for building sustainable livelihoods. I encourage you to utilise them responsibly, apply the skills you have acquired diligently, and remain focused on your entrepreneurial aspirations. Through hard work, innovation and perseverance, you can transform small enterprises into thriving businesses that create employment opportunities for others,” he said.
Onwuliri disclosed that 1,001 unemployed persons were trained across Imo State during Phase I of the programme, while 1,035 beneficiaries underwent vocational and entrepreneurship training in Phase II. He said 28 successful trainees received starter packs in the latest batch, assuring that others would be empowered as funding becomes available.
“The resettlement exercise will continue in batches as resources are made available. Our commitment is to ensure that every successful trainee is given the opportunity to put the skills acquired into productive use,” he assured.
Earlier, the Director of Special Public Works, Mrs. Folashade Lanre-Ogun, urged beneficiaries to use the equipment to build sustainable businesses, describing the starter packs as essential tools for achieving self-reliance.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Imo State Governor on Local Government Affairs, Mr. Willie Okolie Ogwo, and the Permanent Secretary, Imo State Ministry of Information, Dr. Pauline Iwuagwu, commended the initiative and encouraged beneficiaries to make productive use of the opportunity.
Beneficiaries trained in trades including knitting, autotronics, catering, GSM phone repairs, satellite dish installation, welding and fabrication, hairdressing, electrical installation, carpentry, plumbing, POP and wall screeding, and solar installation received certificates and business starter packs to begin their enterprises.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Chimezie thanked the Federal Government and the NDE for the support, pledging to use the equipment productively to build successful businesses.
