The National Directorate of Employment has commenced training of 400 youths under the Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme in Ogun State.

The training, according to a statement on Thursday, will address the increasing challenges of youth unemployment and cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The acting Director-General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Fikpo, at the orientation ceremony for the trainees in Abeokuta, said the training in vocational skills acquisition would take place simultaneously in all the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

The NDE acting D-G, who was represented by the Ogun State Coordinator, Tajudeen Bakare, said youth unemployment had been of grave concern to the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).

He said the President had aptly demonstrated his determination to empower the youths through articulated programmes and sustained support to the Federal Government agencies that had constitutional responsibilities of empowering youths and creating job opportunities.

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He said, “No fewer than 400 trainees will be recruited in Ogun State. Twenty trainees will be attached to each of the 20 local government areas of the state. The training is for three months.

“The target beneficiaries for the programme include unskilled men and women, who may be primary or secondary school leavers; school dropouts; and unemployed persons, who wish to be trained in marketable skills.

“The available skills are in tailoring, photography, catering, computer operation and hairdressing.”