Lagos govt commends Dangote’s youths empowerment programme

Lagos State Government has commended the management of Dangote Group for its youth empowerment programme which graduated 200 youths after a successful skill acquisition programme.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony of 200 youths from Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos on Wednesday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commended Dangote Group for the initiative and urged the newly graduated youths to be good ambassadors to Lagos State.

Represented by Dr. Tunde Sodade, Managing Director of Lekki Free Trade Zone Worldwide, Sanwo-Olu stated that “We will ensure that all of you that graduated today will be employed at the free zone because we believe that what you learnt will be useful for the development of the zone.

“I urge you all to be good examples to others and always demonstrate better character and integrity in what you do.”

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He urged the graduand to register their names with the Lekki Free Trade Zone management for immediate employment by all companies within the zone.

The programme which was organised by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and facilitated by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) recorded encomium as traditional rules and community leaders also commended the initiative.

The skill acquisition programme, which cuts across a wide range of vocational skills such as plumbing, masonry, welding, iron bending, auto mechanics and electrical works, marked the successful completion of the first batch of trainees.

In his remarks, Dangote Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Mr  Devakumar  Edwin, said the initiative was a demonstration of Dangote Refinery’s commitment toward capacity-building and youth empowerment in the country.

Edwin said the programme was another level of Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s intervention targeted at providing vocational skills to the teeming youth population in its host communities.

He said that the programme was also aimed at making youth from its host communities employable. He urged the graduands to be more focused and diligent in whatever they do and serve as good examples to others.

“With the tools given to you today, you can be good ambassadors of this great community.  So many graduates outside are still searching for jobs, but yours is different because you have been trained.

“We are good to give you our maximum support to ensure you are employed in our operations, as our host communities remain our priority.

“These skills given to you today can take you to various places and attract better opportunity if managed effectively,” he said.

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The State Coordinator of the Nigerian Directorate of Employees (NDE), Mrs Serena Edward, lauded Dangote group for pioneering the skill vocational training for the youths in the community.

Edward said that the programme which started six months ago had today recorded tremendous success among the 200 graduands.

“We encountered some challenges in the course of the programme which the community elders intervened. The programme has transformed the students to do better and also improved their standards of creativity on the jobs leant.

“Today, the programme has facilitated the students to open an account with the bank as a sign of seriousness towards business. Dangote has given the community youths useful tools to work with and advised you to use them diligently,” she said.