By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The National Directorate of
Employment, NDE, has distributed to graduates in Ondo State, start-up tools and equipment under its School-on-Wheel training scheme as part of its mandate to create jobs for the unemployed

Director General of the Directorate, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, distributed the items to ten graduates in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Fikpo who was represented by the Ondo State Coordinator of NDE, Mr Olusegun Adelodun, said this in Akure, the state capital.

He pointed out that “In its continuous effort to ensure that the NDE mandate is achieved, the Vocational Skills Development (VSD) department through the School-On-Wheel (SOW) training
has injected a large number of Artisans in various sector of the economy of the rural areas across the nation.

“This is achieved after exposing them to specialized skills training in some elected competitive, lucrative and emerging marketable skills in rural
areas.

“In order to buttress this laudable success, the directorate has provided resettlement packages for graduates of this scheme.

” The objective of the resettlement loan packages to the beneficiaries includes; to ensure the graduate trainees does not stay idle or regress into labour market, help create wealth and reduce rural-urban migration and assist graduates of SOW set-up their own businesses.

Other objectives, according to Fikpo, include, to reduce poverty among rural dwellers and to create employment opportunities for others through multiplier effects.

He said that ” These graduands have all undergone in-depth training in various skills such as hair dressing, tailoring, event planning, and leather works etc. will be given tools and equipment relating to their skills as loan packages.

The Director General added that” the loan packages are recycling loans that are expected to be paid back with interests according to the agreement forms being filled and submitted by the beneficiaries.

” The loan repayment is expected to start after the stipulated moratorium period.

Fikpo advised “the beneficiaries are therefore advised to make wise use of these tools and equipment. Repayment should begin as at when due so that others who are in the waiting can also benefit from this laudable gesture.