DHQ HOLDS SKILLS ACQUISITION TRAINING

A two-week skill acquisition training organized by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja, for spouses and dependants of military personnel across the country has ended.

The skill acquisition programme which took place at the gymnasium hall of Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, had over 2,000 spouses and dependants of military personnel in attendance where vocational skills such as catering/fast food, beauty saloon skills/hair braiding/weaving, soap making, knitting and beading, smallscale business, agric-business and allied services, financing a small business and information technology skill in business centre/computer training, photo processing, heat transfer printing skills, interior decoration, tie-and-dye were taught.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshall Paul Dike, said the skill acquisition training which started in 2008, is part of the Defence Headquarters contribution to support its personnel to enable their dependants generate income so that they can support their parents, spouses and guardians who in most cases are the sole bread winners.

The CDS, while lamenting that the barracks have suddenly become homes for idle gossips and rumours, social vices including alcoholism, drug abuse, prostitution said 'it is in this direction that the DHQ decided to face the challenge squarely through this programme which I am convinced will not only impart the skills but also empower the beneficiaries.'

Dike was represented by the Chief of Administration at the DHQ, Rear Admiral Ekwere, and he commended the efforts of DEPOWA, NAOWA, NOWA and NAFOWA in stemming ugly trend of social ills in the barracks, charged the participants to take full advantage of the training and equip themselves with skills of their choice as the DHQ has made adequate provisions for their course materials including lunch for each participant.