The Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) on Friday began the training of 100 unemployed youths in various skills’ under its Youth Empowerment and Skills’ Acquisition Programme.
The training, the eighth under the programme, was targeted at some of the unemployed youths from the company’s host communities.
KRPC Executive Director, Services, Alhaji Abdullahi Idris, said the more than 900 youths had benefited since the programme was introduced in 2008.
According to him, the programme is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and is designed to support government’s efforts in poverty eradication, containing youth restiveness and tackling unemployment.
Idris said the training covered more than 16 trades that include : Plaster of Paris (POP), welding and fabrication, plumbing, pipe-fitting, electrical installation, rewiring, carpentry, woodwork, and fashion design. It also includes : poultry farming, auto-mechanic, auto- spray painting, handset repair, photography and visual imaging and panel beating, he said.
“I want to reassure you that the general review of the programme will soon commence and all areas including consultancy fees will be given serious attention in the next edition of the programme,” he said.
Manager, Public Affairs Division of the company, Aminu Daneji said the 100 youths would be empowered with skills so that they could become engaged in useful ventures.
Also, A. B, Makama, who spoke on behalf of the host communities, commended the company for the initiative, stressing that the youths were the backbone of any country.
Makama said the involvement of youths in skills acquisition would make them become responsible citizens, who would contribute positively to national building.
One of the participants, Tobias Aboki, pledged that the trainees would be punctual, disciplined, serve as good ambassadors of their communities during the training.