The government of Nigeria has conducted a national skills acquisition programme for about 2000 Nigerian returnee migrants and persons of concern across the country.
The event organised by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants & Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI) started on Monday.
NCRMI’s South-West Zonal Head, Margaret Ukegbu, made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the Five-Day Skills Acquisition Training for returnees and persons of concern in Surulere and Yaba, in Lagos State.
Mrs Ukegbu said that the decision to train the returnees and others by the commission was to discourage them and those intending to travel to Europe or other foreign countries.
“The Honourable Federal Commissioner believes that providing durable solutions to the challenges of these returnees is the best way to ensure that they have dignity.
“So the commission has come up with the training programme as the most practical and result-oriented way of empowering these returnees and persons of concern to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining.
“The commission really wants these young Nigerians to know that there is no need for them to be seeking better lives abroad and that that better life and opportunities are available to them in this country.
“It is just for them to seek the better life and opportunities around them and earn revenue on a daily basis, rather than risking their lives while trying to travel to Europe,’’ she said.
Ukegbu said that the training was scheduled to hold simultaneously in Yaba and Surulere in Lagos State, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, and the North-East of the country, within five days.
The NCRMI official said that the training was meant to develop the skills of the returnees, refugees and persons of concern in cosmetology, phone repairs, soap making and photography.
She said that the 200 beneficiaries in the South-West, covering Yaba, Surulere and Ijebu-Ode, would be exposed to skills in cosmetology, phone repairs, soap making and photography.
Ukegbu also said that the commission would at the end of the training issue certificates and start-up allowances to the 2000 beneficiaries in the selected communities.
A beneficiary, Phil Jimoh, expressed satisfaction at the commission’s initiative, adding that the training would equip him with the skills for repairing phones, as well as the start-up grant.
Jimoh said that he would be happy to start his phone repairs services in Nigeria, rather than exposing himself to dangers while trying to travel to Europe.
Another beneficiary, Yusuf Mulikat also said that the training would enable her and others to realise the existing engagement opportunities for them in Nigeria.
Mulikat expressed optimism that the training would wipe tears from the faces of many other returnees and persons of concern that had gone through harrowing experiences.
(NAN)
