How NDDC Is Renewing Hope of Niger Delta Youths Through Internship Scheme, by Jerome-Mario Utomi

In the politics of remembrance and forgetfulness, ‘’it is sometimes convenient to forget. At others it is uncomfortable to remember. To forget is perhaps one of the greatest gifts of nature. But to remember can also be an invaluable asset sometimes. However, so many times, we remember to forget but forget to remember”.

Likewise, for the people of Niger Delta region, Monday, August 5, 2024, is a day that will be too difficult to forget. Even if the adults do forget, as it is essentially easy for humans to forget but hard to remember, the youths from the region will always be available to remind them that it was the day that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) launched a strategic initiative tagged ‘’Internship Scheme for 10,000 Niger Delta Youths’’.

Speaking at the roll out ceremony in Port Harcourt, Ebie assured that the NDDC was dedicated to advancing the implementation of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and implementation of impactful youth programmes.

He said that the Youth Internship Scheme would prepare 10,000 people across the Niger Delta region with the training and experience needed for gainful employment as well as self-employment through entrepreneurship.

Ebie explained that the scheme would accommodate young people across different levels of education and experience, noting, however, that they should not be above 45 years.

Ebie further disclosed that persons with disabilities would be given special attention, noting that there is an age limit. We are not going to take pensioners and they will come and hide under the youth scheme. If you are over 45 years, please, do not apply. I beg of you. Because you are not too far from retirement age.

Also speaking, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, affirmed that entrepreneurial and skills enhancement were key components for unlocking the potentials of the youths in the Niger Delta region.

He said that the objective was to get the youths to acquire meaningful and self-sustaining skills that would improve their lives, support their families and communities and thus ensure peace in the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku stated that the Internship Scheme and other youth programmes of the NDDC were carefully thought out and included in the Commission’s 2024 budget, noting that it was not a reaction to the protests in other parts of the country.

He stressed: “The scheme will also develop metrics for its impact on the economy of the Niger Delta region. Admission to the scheme will be highly competitive and will be driven by merit. Applicants will be required to include a personal statement in their application reflecting their commitment to meet the objectives of the programme and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.”

Ogbuku observed that the scheme would empower the benefitting youths in the areas of technology, music and arts, agriculture and marine, among others, adding that during the 12-month period of the internship, each intern would receive a stipend of N50,000 per month.

The NDDC boss said that all the nine NDDC states would have 500 slots before the application of the oil production quota for the remaining slots.

Ogbuku noted: “On July 30, we gathered in Port Harcourt to sensitise the youths of the region on the reasons why they should avoid the nation-wide protest planned then. The stakeholders unanimously agreed to stay away from the protest, demonstrating that despite our diverse nature and challenges, we are united in the view that we need development and not protest. “This should tell investors that the Niger Delta is peaceful and eager for development. We recognise that things are difficult now in Nigeria and even in the global stage.”

Giving details of the Internship Scheme, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said that placing youths on internship roles will allow them to enhance their technical skills and acquire practical experience to make them self-reliant.

He explained further: “Each applicant will be encouraged to identify a specific place of internship while the scheme will match them to prospective businesses that will help them to enhance their skills. He declared: “We mark a significant milestone in our ongoing quest for progress and prosperity in the Niger Delta region.

“The heartbeat of a nation lies in the vigour and vitality of its youth, yet in the Niger Delta, the beat has faltered under the weight of impoverishment borne out of a very difficult terrain and limited opportunities”.

“The NDDC Youth Internship Scheme is not merely a financial intervention, it is a symbol of our commitment to nurturing and empowering the next generation.

Antai urged all beneficiaries “to seize this opportunity with both hands and use it to fuel their passion to learn, to groom, and to give back to our communities.

“To our partners, stakeholders, and well-wishers, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Your support and collaboration are vital to the success of this scheme. Together, we can turn the tide of unemployment and steer the Niger Delta towards a brighter future.”.

Away from internship scheme and Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly stipend to 10,000 Niger Delta youths, which when implemented promises to empower the youths from the region, create self reliance, there are other hidden but genuine reasons why the people of the region, particularly youths are happy with the Commission.

First, in addition to addressing the region’s underdevelopment (infrastructure and capital), the youths of the region, going by commentaries are particularly happy that the current governing board and management operates in total compliance with the global prerequisite that says that any developmental effort without youth empowerment and job creation at its centre will take such society, region or nation nowhere.

Closely related to the above is the revelation by the Senate President, who, while commending the NDDC for restoring some damaged sections of the East-West Road, hinted that following a presidential directive, the NDDC recently inaugurated five flagship projects covering roads, bridges, and electricity across the region. This is in addition to the assurance that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project would not only commence from Lagos but would also start simultaneously from the Niger Delta.

Even as the people of the region celebrate, there are hopeful signs of more silver lining in the horizon for the region and its people.

Take as an illustration, in his opening remarks, the chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr Chiedu Ebie, assured that the Commission would continue to focus on completing capital projects that would add value to the Niger Delta region.

“Our commitment is to work towards transforming the region, in line with the 8-Point Presidential Priorities, as well as in accordance with the demands of the NDDC Act of 2000”. He thanked members of the National Assembly for expeditiously passing the 2024 budget of the Commission, which would set the tone for the implementation of projects and programmes benefiting the people of the Niger Delta region.

For his part, the NDDC managing director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, in a similar vein stated that the people of the Niger Delta region had transitioned from militant agitation to intellectual struggle, noting that the region was now reaping the benefits of these struggles.

He said, “We have provided more opportunities and hope to Niger Delta youths through our Holistic Opportunity Projects of Engagement, designed to identify youth interests for skills training”. The NDDC boss said that Project HOPE had helped the Commission develop a comprehensive digital repository, containing important information about the youths of the Niger Delta region, including their qualifications, skills, interests, needs, and current employment status.

From Project Hope to building partnership, Ogbuku remarked that the NDDC was working with the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce to train youths and young entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta region, stating that the Commission would collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce to support Small and Medium Enterprises in the region and ensure the sustainability of youth development programmes. “We will also partner with the Bank of Industry to fund projects, support businesses, and facilitate the success of our empowerment programmes. We will provide all necessary support for youth entrepreneurship schemes,” he concluded.

To completely come out of the throws of unemployment, this piece holds the opinion that youths from the region must, on their part, recognise that ‘the future is full of promises as it is fraught with uncertainties. That the industrial society is giving way to one based on knowledge’. They must, therefore, learn to be part of the knowledge-based world. The youths must shun instant gratification mentalities and other negative influences emanating from the social media that have conspired to render them morally bankrupt.

Utomi, writes from Lagos Nigeria.