The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, has clamoured for human development in the Niger Delta.
She stated this while receiving the leadership of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in her office in Port Harcourt recently.
She said, “Developing the people of the Niger Delta region can only be done by professionals like you, who manage your own enterprises. Development does not only mean building and providing physical infrastructure. Development also lies in the development of our human capital. We will be relying on you for support.”
In his remarks, the PHCCIMA President, Eze Mike Elechi, noted that the chamber wanted to collaborate with the NDDC in the development of micro, small and medium businesses in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region.
He stated, “We need to partner with the NDDC to train individuals in micro, small and medium enterprises. We also seek your financial support for the 2023 Port Harcourt International Trade Fair.”
Speaking also to a delegation from the National Youth Council of Nigeria South-South Zone during another courtesy visit, Onochie encouraged youths in the Niger Delta region to acquire relevant skills that would empower them to overcome economic challenges.
She advised them to reduce their dependence on white-collar jobs and focus on skills in farming, coding, and artificial intelligence.
She emphasised that the era of solely relying on paper qualifications was over and encouraged the youths to complement their qualifications with relevant skills.
The President of the NYCN, Okorie Kenneth, stated that the Niger Delta region was the most deprived region in Nigeria, with youths bearing the brunt of economic hardships.
He sought for a partnership between the NDDC and the NYCN to address youth restiveness through sustainable empowerment programmes.
Okorie also urged the governing board of the commission to involve youths directly in the formulation of youth empowerment programmes of the NDDC.