NSIP: 300 youths, PWDs commence training on smartphones repairs

Over 300 youths in Bauchi State are to be trained in smartphones repairs under the N-Skills training component of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP).

The disclosure was made by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq while flagging Off the N-Skills Training program in Bauchi on Wednesday.

While addressing the participants at the Professor Iya Abubakar Computer Center, Bauchi, the Minister said that beneficiaries of the programme will use skills acquired for self-employment; “in order to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.”

Saddiya Farouk also said that: “NSIP is one of the largest social investments programmes in Africa, with about $1billion earmarked annually to cause positive change in the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in the country.

According to her, “Since its introduction in 2016, the programme has impacted positively on the lives of the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria. I have personally witnessed the life-changing experiences of people who lived below the poverty line and those that are vulnerable to shocks”.

She added that, “In furtherance to President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for the restructuring of NSIP and in line with the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), we instituted processes to revamp the NSIP and to make it more impactful on the economy and citizens as we expand it”.

“This led to the introduction of the N-Skills programme, which is based on a certification system and accreditation of training provided through the informal apprenticeship System anchored by Master Craft Persons (MCPs) and the formal training system using the Community Skills Development Centres (COSDECs)”, she further said.

The Minister added that, “The programme aims to improve the quality and relevance of skills delivered using a certification system and to ease the transition of target beneficiaries to full-time skilled employment, self-employment and/or further their education. It targets marginalized and disadvantaged population, including those with primary or no-formal education”.

She explained that, “The N-Skills programme is in line with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) for the development, classification and recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies acquired by individuals, irrespective of where and how the training or skill is acquired. It will help in bridging the gap in demand for standard and market-relevant skills”.

The Minister also said that “The Smart Phone Repairs is used to pilot the N-Skills programme. It is consistent with the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years”.

The programme according to her is designed to kit/tool unemployed youths and develop their competencies to become gainfully employed. This training target youths selected from the 36 States and FCT.

“They are expected to train youths to meet the minimum technical and business requirements for certification by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and enhance their entrepreneurial competences to successfully start and manage smartphone repairs and servicing businesses”, Saddiya Farouk said.

Upon completion of the training, the target beneficiaries would be provided with a Start-up Kits saying that, “The Ministry worked with experienced training service providers to carefully select those to be trained today as Master Trainers”.

She stressed that, “We expect these Master Trainers to effectively play your role of coordinating the training of the target beneficiaries of the N-Skills programme in your respective States and FCT” .

The Minster added that, “The success of the programme relies to a large extent on your capacity and commitment to ensure effective delivery of the training especially in the three important areas of Life Skills, Foundational Skills and Entrepreneurial Skills”.

She concluded saying, “I urge you to, therefore, participate actively to learn and enhance your capacity. I am confident that with caliber of resource persons and facilitators assembled here, this goal will be achieved.”

Focal Person on Social Investment Bauchi State, Hajiya Amina Katagum, thanked the Federal Government for its various interventions under social Investment programmes which Bauchi is one of the key beneficiaries.

She asked the beneficiaries to make the best use of this golden opportunity to succeed.

Some of the beneficiaries including people with disability expressed their gratitude to the Minister and President Muhammadu Buhari for the kind gesture assuring that the program will help them out of poverty.