By Femi Bolaji

No fewer than 200 youths across the sixteen local government areas of Taraba state have been trained and empowered with starter packs to be self reliant in Information Communication Technology,ICT by the North East Development Commission, NEDC.

They were trained in graphics design and phone repairs in order to be self reliant and employers of Labour.

Speaking in Jalingo, the state capital at the graduation ceremony, the Managing Director of the Commission, Goni Alkali, said the Commission is poised to bridge the skill gap in ICT across the North East region.

Represented by Benjamin Wesley, he noted that Over 3500 youths have been trained and given start up kits to be self reliant.

He also pointed that 18 ICT training centres have been established by the Commission in Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno and Yobe states.

He urged the trainees to extend the knowledge to others in their community by training more youths.

He urged the trainees to collaborate with one another and announced a token of N25,000 as another incentive to encourage them.

Governor Darius Ishaku, who also spoke, urged the beneficiaries of the ICT skill empowerment programme to desist from selling their starter packs.

He also said the state government would monitor them and penalise anyone who sells their empowerment kits.

The NEDC gave out laptops, printers, phone repair tolls and exercise books for record keeping.