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By LAZARUS ILEMS

Skill acquisition is one of the important pillars of youth development which equips them with the requisite vocational knowledge to actualize their dreams, goals and aspiration. The essence of skill acquisition to society is the relevancy of water to the human body; lack of sources of income is a major cause of vices among youths including stealing, internet fraud, burglary, armed robbery and other violent crimes. Skills increase employment opportunities and crime reduction in societies.

Year-in-year-out, thousands of students graduate from secondary schools and higher institutions of learning, with more than 60% of them in search of greener pastures. Skills help people to have better resources and financial management, improved strategic planning and curtailing crises in society due to experiences garnered.

In order to reduce the rate of unemployment and curb restiveness in the once troubled Niger Delta region, the Niger Delta Development Commission was established in the year 2000 with a mandate of developing the oil-rich region to better the socio-economic well being of the Niger Delta people. Simply put, part of the NDDC’s mandate is to take youths, man and women out of poverty by providing the means and resources.

Apart from taking the people out of poverty, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Niger Delta Development Commission were mandated to deal with rising trend of unemployment through training people in various skills. Students’ enrollment in skills while studying would reduce the burdens which parents bear. The agency has great roles to play in the economic development of the Niger Delta region. However, in doing this, there is the need to harness the skills of citizens hence skill acquisition is critical.

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs MNDA), in line with its mandate built ultra modern skills acquisition centers in the nine member states. Accordingly, it plans to complete and hand over these Centers to meet the skills training needs of each state, beginning Imo State.

This good news was made known to newsmen over with weekend in Owerri by the Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Sharon Ikeazor, while on inspection of the Ministry of Niger Delta’s intervention projects located in some of the states in the region.

She pointed out that the purpose of the construction of the skills acquisition centre in the area was to achieve specialised training in commerce for the economic development of the people of the Niger Delta region.

According to her, “among the projects inspected and others commissioned include the Skill Acquisition Center at Abaezi-Egbema, Ohaji/Egbema L.G.A, Civil Center at Nwaorieubi, Mbaitolu L.G.A, the Commissioning of the Rehabilitated Okuala Igurunta Road in Imo State.

“Skill Acquisition Center at Owazza, Ukwa East, Construction of Ntigha Umuopara Amuzu Akanu Ohanze Isiala Road, Umuelem -Leru -Ngada -Lokpanta Road in Umunneochi L.G.A, Erosion Site at Umuelem Umunneochi L.G.A in Abia State, which are at various levels of completion or awaiting commissioning and handing over to the communities.”

She noted the facility is handled by Messrs Thick Engineering Nig. Ltd (Lot 1), Messrs Segos Energy Services Ltd (Lot 2), Messrs Topaz Flaire Nig.. Ltd. (Lot 3) contains an Administrative block, Commerce block, ICT block, Conference hall, Warehouse, Male and Female hostels, Detached and Semi-detached duplexes with Boys quarters, Indoor sports hall among others and commended the contractors for keeping the facility safe from being vandalised after 12 years of its completion while the Skill Acquisition Center at Owazza Ukwa East is at 58 per cent completion.

The minister among other things said the projects were achieved because of the collaboration with the State Governments in the Niger Delta region, Critical Stakeholders, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and State Representatives ( both state and federal).

However, Niger Deltans would be thankful to Mr President and his administration if all the skill acquisition centres in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Rivers, Ondo and other States, abandoned for over a decade can be revisted and put to use. This, amongst others, will reduce the cases of project abandonment by the agency and serve the purposes of those centres in the Niger Delta axis.