FEC approves N807m to train Niger Delta youths on phone, ipad repairs

The Federal Executive Council, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan today approved N807 million for the training of 2,700 non-militant Niger Delta youths in the areas of Information Communication Technology and agriculture.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati alongside the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar; and Minister of State, Niger Delta, Dairus Ishaku, said 500 beneficiaries of the ICT training programme would be trained on how to repair phones and iPads for one month in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers States at the cost of N258.7million.

According to Ishaku the contract also include setting up of the youths after the training.

On the agricultural training programme, he said contract sum of N549million was approved to train 2,200 non-militant youths for 12 months.

Ishaku further stated that the contract which was the continuation of the Phase I of the training would see 100 youths proceeding to Israel for training and return to the country to train the remaining 2,100 youths.

Their areas of training, he said, would include crop production, food preservation and poultry among others.

“The training will reduce unemployment in the region and reduce crime,” he assured.

The Niger Delta Minister of State  claimed that since the training programme for the youths started, cases of kidnapping had reduced drastically in the region unlike in the past when road contractors were being kidnapped at will.

On the fire recorded in Warri Refinery on Tuesday, Ishaku said since the police has yet to release report of investigation, it would be wrong to blame it to youths.