The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has flagged off a skills acquisition scheme under its Youth Transformation Programme for 600 Kogi State youths drawn from 10 focal riverine area councils.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HYPPADEC, Dr Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, disclosed this in Lokoja during the flag-off ceremony.
He said the Youth Transformation Programme organised by the commission in partnership with “New Approach” was part of its efforts to ensure that unemployed youths across the country became self-reliant.
“HYPPADEC will ensure that beneficiaries after the training are certificated to enable them to use the document to access loan facilities to grow in their various trades,” he said.
Yelwa appealed to the members of the communities in the 10 focal local government areas to make good use of the 1,487 life jackets distributed to them at the occasion to reduce the rampant cases of boat mishaps and unwarranted loss of lives.
In his remarks, Governor Yahaya Bello who flagged off the ceremony and the distribution of life jackets described the programme as a well-thought initiative.