By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

As it trains youths from states ravaged by insurgency in various skills, Northeast Development Commission (NEDC), said it was taking youths off the streets to prevent them from being lured into terrorism by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali stated this during the graduation ceremony of the first batch of technical skills acquisition programme at the PAN Learning Centre (PLC) in Kaduna. The event was sponsored by the commission.

He disclosed that the Commission has carefully selected 150 youths from all the local government areas of the states that make up the North East region on the recommendation of their state governors for the skills acquisition, out of which 76 are graduated.

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While saying that those graduating will be given kits in their various trades and additional N25, 000 each, he said the Commission is considering creating a mechanic village in the various states of the region.

“The Commission is considering establishing a mechanic village in the various states of the Northeast, also planning skills acquisition for other sets of youths from the region in cable TV installation and repairs, metering among others soon.

“The NEDC is committed to taking the youth off the streets and from social vices, also for them not to be available for use by insurgents, hence we are giving them in various skills acquisition,” he said.

Representative of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk, Group Captain Sadiq Garba Shehu (rtd) said the NEDC is living up to her mandate of establishment and urged them to sustain the tempo, adding that the Commission is contributing to the Federal Government commitment towards taking hundred million people out of poverty.