UYO—200 unemployed youths who graduated to make the 5th batch of the Total Exploration and Production Nigeria host communities skills acquisition training programme recently empowered with various basic starter tools have been urged to make judicious use of their equipment to transform the economic landscape of their communities for self-reliance and poverty reduction.

The General Manager, Sustainable Development Division of the Company, Engr. Vincent Nnadi, who made the presentation in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, expressed hope that with the company’s valued tradition of touching the lives of people around its operational environment, enough skilled artisans will be provided to form the hub and drive the wheels of economic development of the communities.

Nnadi restated the company’s concern about the well being of her host communities and disclosed that new performance indicators had been set for both the field officers and staff to ensure that the necessary deliverables were achieved.

He also noted that a more vigorous post-graduation follow-ups of trainees was done to ensure they established their own businesses, in line with the founding objective of empowerment for self reliance and poverty reduction.

The State Commissioner for Economic Development, Mr. Lawrence Udosen, on behalf of Akwa Ibom State government, commended Total Exploration and Production as one of the state’s member on partnership for sustainable development found to discharge her social corporate responsibility justifiably within its areas of operation.

Udosen noted that by constructively engaging the youths and talented individuals in the various skill acquisition programmes, Total Exploration and Production has made them to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the state, making Akwa Ibom the most peaceful state in the Niger-Delta.

He congratulated the graduands for subjecting themselves to the discipline of training and capacity building for further character moulding which would make them optimally equipped to productively engage the challenges of life, and become less vulnerable to social ills.

The economic development commissioner used the occasion to appeal to the company to develop and implement a well articulated programme for skills’ enrichment that will meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people for greater marketability, both locally and internationally, in key economic growth sector, such as ICT ,oil and gas, extractive manufacturing and in the service sector.

Some of the graduating students and beneficiaries of the programme told Vanguard that they were excited at the level to which the company had touched their lives and expressed gratitude to the consultant whom they described as a very humble and painstaking woman.