By Aisha Gambo

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kaduna Directorate on Monday begun the training of 30 women on wig, turban (also known as head gear) and decorative paint making.

The Acting State Coordinator, Mrs Victoria Williams-Dada, who made this known while flagging off the training, said that beneficiaries were selected from the 23 local government areas of the state.

“It is my pleasure to welcome you all here today, which marks the first of five day-long training of 30 women beneficiaries of three skills which are currently in demand in Nigeria, as a way to empower women to be self-employed.

“The NDE objective is to address the high level of unemployment by creating jobs for all through skills acquisition, attitudinal change and business training.

“That is why the directorate created the Women Employment Branch (WEB) as an implementation strategy, where it ensures that relevant skills and programmes that are more impactful to women are targeted and executed,” she said.

Earlier, Mal. Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo,the Director General,NDE who was represented by Ibrahim Sulaiman,the zonal head said that the programme was running in all the 36 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory with 30 women selected from each state.

He urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity by cooperating with the trainers and ensure that they practice what they have learnt.

The DG explained that participants would be given stipends at the end of the training to cushion transport fare and also, launch would be served to each participant throughout the training.

He added that soft loans of N25,000 would be given to each participant to start up their business.

Meanwhile, some participants at the training commended the NDE for the programme, saying that it would help them to become self-reliant.

Maryam Abdulkadir, a house wife who commended NDE for the special training for women, said that she looked forward to learning how to make turban and decorative paintings.

She said she would want to teach other women the skill she acquired after the training so that more women would be empowered.

Similarly, Miss Dorcas Fatokun said the training would help curb unemployment among women in Nigeria, adding that she looked forward to learning wig making.

“I want to learn the skill, because l want to start a hair dressing salon and it is lucrative as many women make their hair frequently,’’ she said

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Nigeria's public debt rises to N38 trillion

SAMSON TOROMADE

December 14, 2021 9:59 PM

The debt increased by N2.540 trillion between July and September.

Nigeria's debt profile has risen to worrying heights under President Muhammadu Buhari [Presidency]

Nigeria's total public debt has risen to N38.005 trillion (US$92.626 billion) as of September 30, 2021, the Debt Management Office (DMO) announced on Tuesday, December 14.

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The figure includes the total external and domestic debts of the Federal Government, all 36 state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The debt increased by N2.540 trillion between July and September, largely due to the US$4 billion Eurobonds issued by the government in September 2021.

DMO said, "The issuance of the USD4 billion Eurobonds has brought significant benefits to the economy by increasing the level of Nigeria's External Reserves, thereby supporting the Naira Exchange Rate and providing necessary capital to enable the Federal Government finance various projects in the Budget.

"The triple tranche USD4 billion Eurobond, issued in September 2021, was for the implementation of the New External Borrowing of USD6.18 billion in the 2021 Appropriation Act."

Nigeria's debt portfolio has skyrocketed under President Muhammadu Buhari, rising from N12.12 trillion in June 2015, a month after he assumed office.

He told Nigerians in October to stop worrying about the debt pile which he said is within sustainable limits, but he has also been campaigning at global events for debt relief and cancellation.

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