….as 689 Benue youths get Start-up kits

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume has commended the National Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission, N-HYPPADEC, Youth Transformation Programme, YTP, describing it as a catalyst for self-reliance and financial independence for Nigerian youths.

Senator Akume who spoke Thursday in Makurdi at the flag off of distribution of Start-up Kits to 689 graduates of the N-HYPPADEC, YTP in Benue state said the  programme would not only emancipate the benefiting youths from the shackles of poverty, but would also see them witness a paradigm shift from unemployment.

Represented by Simon Tyungu, a Director in the SGF’s office, Senator Akume commended N-HYPPADEC for painstakingly training the benefiting youths in the six pioneer states of the intervention.

He said: “With this I say, a big kudos to the N-HYPPADEC and her partners, the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, SMEDAN, the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, and the Benue State Government who have equally shown same level of commitment and provided the enabling environment for the empowerment programme to thrive.”

“With the hand-over of Start-up kits today, which is the third in the series of six, N-HYPPADEC and its partners’ drive at discharging its interventionist responsibility to the HYPPADEC States and by extension, complementing the efforts of government towards the execution of meaningful projects and ventures has just received another major plus.

“To this end, let me assure you that this administration will leave no stone unturned towards supporting N-HYPPADEC in the discharge of its functions that is majorly targeted at our nation’s advancement, cognizance of the fact that it aligns with our commitment to the socio-economic growth and all-round development of our dearly beloved Nigeria.

“I therefore urge you not to rest on your oars but rather, redouble this effort and energy towards taking our nation out of the doldrums of poverty and empowering our youth, for an empowered youth invariably translates to an empowered nation.”

The Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa said the occasion marked “the beginning of the final segment phase I of the YTP in Benue State; that is the distribution of starter packs to the 689 youths that have successfully graduated from our basic skills acquisition programme.

‘Secondly, with N-HYPPADEC collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youths Development on the YTP, this occasion marks an important moment in which other federal government institutions are acknowledging and supporting the modest contributions of the Commission to nation building and national development.”

Yelwa who appreciated the support the N-HYPPADEC was enjoying from the office of the SGF and the Benue State government recalled that the programme was launched in 2022 to tackle the various challenges confronting the youths in order to alleviate their condition.

He said “Here in Benue State, we have achieved remarkable success with the programme, training 689 youths across 29 different vocational areas. The diversity and scope of our training programmes reflect our commitment to addressing various sectors of the economy.”

Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Sam Ode urged the Federal Government to sustain its funding of N-HYPPADEC given the impact it was making in the lives of Nigerian youths.

He also urged the government to increase the slot allocated to Benue State to 1,000 to enable more Benue youths benefit from the intervention.

The Governor assured that the state could absorb some of the graduates into the service of the state where needed and urged them to continue to strive for the top.