The Center for Entrepreneurship Development of Mai Idris Alooma polytechnic Gaidam, in Yobe state has been upgraded to expand the training of vulnerable youths in Boko Haram affected areas in Yobe and Borno states.
Rector of the institution, Engr Hussaini Abatcha Geidam, stated this while flagging off multi million naira equipment donated to them by Regional initiative (NERI), Sunday.
Abatcha said the centre, established three years back, has a mandate to train students and the host community, but the donated equipment would provide opportunity for youths in the entire crisis zone to be self reliant.
"Its our hope that, when fully engaged, the youths would learn one or two trades they can depend on or even employ people in their immediate communities, and this would surely counter violent extremism in Yobe, Northeast and in Chad and Niger Republic," he added.
He revealed that the center has under sponsorship of NERI and Gaidam local government council trained 200 vulnerable youths, including Almajiris that are more vulnerable in the society.
"We tracked their performance and found that most of them are now having a living, they have trade of their own and even trained other youths" he said.
District Head of Gaidam, Kaigama Ahmed Kachalla, the donation would boost the centre and help youths to find what to do with their entrepreneurship.
He also advised the youths to be obedient to their parents and desist from taking drugs that lured them into crimes and Boko Haram insurgency.
The equipment donated include printing machine, 30 set of computers, embroidery machines, 30kva generating set, 6 drums of consumables, 8 sewing machines, 2 printers, carpentry and metal work tools.
