150 PERSONS BENEFITTED FROM NAFOWA SKILL ACQUISITION AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME IN MAKURDI

The Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA) yesterday graduated 150 beneficiaries of its skill acquisition and empowerment programme in Makurdi. The programme, targeted at women and youths within the barracks, is aimed at making the beneficiaries who are members of the Air Force family to be self-reliant and economically viable. The latest effort by the Association is part of the current commitment and ongoing effort by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) leadership to enhance the general welfare of personnel and dependants across the country. “The skill acquisition programme is NAFOWA’s way of giving back to society by promoting the general welfare of members of the Air Force family, and our contribution at complementing the efforts by the Federal Government to curb unemployment among youths and women”, said the NAFOWA National President, Mrs Hafsat Abubakar Sadiq.

The new beneficiaries comprise 75 youths and 75 women including orphans and widows of NAF personnel who lost their lives to the fight against insurgency in the Northeast. The 3-month vocational training was conducted by Charis Pearl Consultants from May-August 2016. The training covers 10 areas of vocation including Computer/Information Technology, Aluminium works including door and window fabrication, beads making, event/interior decoration, soap making and leather work. Others are cake baking and catering, hair dressing, tailoring, and cosmetics/make-up.

Meanwhile, the First Lady and Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari has described the NAFOWA skill acquisition and empowerment programme as a noble and worthy idea, noting that it will help to reduce unemployment amongst youths as well as provide widows with new opportunities and ideas to generate income to sustain their families. Hajiya Buhari also stated that NAFOWA programme has great potential for promoting peace and stability at home, as well as positive impact on the community and nation at large. While encouraging the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity provided by NAFOWA and to continue to seek ways for further self-development, the First Lady congratulated the leadership and members of NAFOWA for their selflessness and hearts of gold for reaching-out to the less privileged in the society, even as she assured the Association of her continued support.

In his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal SB Abubakar stated that the numerous welfare initiatives of NAFOWA are in line with the vision of the current NAF administration, and the Change Agenda of Mr President, noting that “the empowerment of youths and women in the barracks is another dimension to enhancing personnel welfare and boosting their morale in pursuit of NAF operational objectives and national security imperatives”.

Before now, NAFOWA has held similar youth and women empowerment programmes for dependants of NAF personnel at its various Vocational Training Centres in Lagos, Kaduna and Maiduguri. The Association also, at the recent graduation ceremony in Makurdi, laid the foundation for the construction of a Vocational Training Centre to foster the attainment of its long term objectives in that part of the country.  The foundation laying ceremony was conducted by the Wife of the Governor of Benue State, Her Excellency, Dr (Mrs) Eunice Ortom who represented the First Lady and Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Mshl SB Abubakar was also represented at the occasion by the Chief of Policy and Plans, AVM James Gbum.

Highlights of the skill acquisition graduation ceremony included the presentation of certificate and starter pact to graduands. Each graduating student got a starter pack depending on his/her vocational training. The pacts include laptop computer, sewing machine, hair dryer, baking oven, cutting and drilling machine, leather filing machine, make-up kit, event decoration kit, bead kit, chemical kit containing dettol, air freshener, liquid soap, shampoo and bleach.