BY Chris  Ochayi

OTUOKE—Determined to confront the high rate of joblessness in the Niger Delta region, the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to train over 700 youths in various fields of endeavour at the skill acquisition centre in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The Federal Government is also collaborating with an Irish company with a view to training 200 of the youths in assembling of I-pad and other telephone accessories and offer them automatic employment.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, while on a tour of the N3.4 billion Otuoke Skill Acquisition Centre, said construction works at the centre would be completed by June  and the campus put to use in July, 2013.

Orubebe said: “This centre is going to train our youths in oil and gas, maritime studies and information and communications technology, ICT. A company is also coming here to train our youths in assembling of I-pad and telephones.”

The company, he said was working with GSM providers, MTN, Etisalat, Airtel, and Glo, adding, “200 of the youths will automatically be employed by the company. I just come back from Ireland. I went there for  a meeting with the company owners and that also is on course. We are going to start the programme in this campus.”