No fewer than 197 youths have graduated from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training programme initiated by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) in Adamawa.

Mr Mohammed Alkali, NEDC’s Managing Director, stated this at the graduation ceremony of the second batch of trainees on Thursday in Yola.

Alkali, represented by Alhaji Mahmud Kambari, Head of Finance and Account of the commission, said the training was designed to impart relevant knowledge and skills to youths to enable them to learn trades and become self-reliant.

He said the ICT programme was part of a comprehensive training programme designed to provide job opportunities, reduce poverty and enhance wealth creation in society.

This, he said, was to mitigate the negative effects of the insurgency which resulted in the loss of lives, livelihoods and destruction of public infrastructure in the region.

Alkali said the graduates were exposed to entrepreneurial skills; bookkeeping and computer appreciation such as digital graphics design and smartphone repairs.

He said the successful graduands were provided with starter packs to enable them to kick start their businesses.

The managing director said that about 2,400 youths had so far graduated since the inception of the programme, adding that over 30 of them had set up their businesses.

In a remark, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri, lauded the gesture, saying that youths empowerment was among the 11-Point Agenda of his administration.

Fintiri, represented by Mr James Ilya, Commissioner for Entrepreneurship Development, urged the graduands to use what they learnt and engage in productive activities to enable them to contribute to the development of the state.

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Ms Khadija Haruna, one of the beneficiaries, thanked the commission for the training and other livelihood support programmes.

“We are going to put to use what we learnt to develop our businesses, and to create jobs for others,” she said.