Convocation: How 156 Students Graduated From DESOPADEC Skill Academy In Delta
By Binebai Princewill
Wednesday 1st of September 2021 will continue to be a memorable and historic day in the life of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC ), indigenes of the oil bearing communities in Delta as well as the Delta State Government under the watch of His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State as 156 students graduated /convocated from the DESOPADEC skill Academy. The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide can report.
It would be recalled that under the present Board of DESOPADEC, the commission kickstarted the DESOPADEC Skill Academy by admitting 160 students from the mandate areas of the commission six months ago as pioneer students of the Academy.
But on Wednesday 1st of September 2021, out of the 160 students that was enlisted for the programme, 158 have graduated successfully ranging from Welding and Fabrication, Hairdressing, Makeovers, HLC, ICT, Catering etc.
In an interview with the The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide, the workaholic Executive Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Amb. Dr. Comr. Shedrack Agediga speaks volume about the programme.
In his words: “What we just did or finished, is the convocation ceremony of the first graduates of the Desopadec Skill Academy.
“This is an initiative of this present Board, tailored towards youth capacity Building inline with the smart agenda of his Excellency the Governor of Delta state; Sentor Dr ifeanyi Okowa.
“What we have done is to take some youths off the street, because we discovered that we have a lot of youths with abilities, but they are not available.
“And so what we did,was to partition them into various skills set from Welding and Fabrication to Hairdressing and Makeovers and HLC, ICT, Catering and all of that.
“A total of 160 youths were enlisted as the pioneer students of the Desopadec Academy and today we witnessed the graduation of the first set after a comprehensive 6months training.
“This is critical development factor because, we have alot of youths, Male and Female who are in our communities doing nothing and so they are always gullible and available either to be used by some Leaders or politicians for whatever purpose, Most especially negative purposes. And so what we have done is to identify them through strategic profiling process, they were all submitted or brought to us from their Community Leaders, traditional rulers and Representatives in Desopadec.
“So what we have done is to enhance their capabilities, prepare them to be entrepreneurs, we also did a one day post convocation business seminar in which also they were taught how to manage Businesses, Bookkeeping, Branding, and all of that.
“And so this is a very serious and critical programme in the Desopadec agenda and that of the agenda of the state and so we are very happy that today, we have been able to take 160 of our youths from the streets of our host Communities.”
Meanwhile, officials of DESOPADEC hinted our reporter that the commission will immediately commence admission of students into the Academy as soon as possible following the graduation of the pioneer students.
It would be recalled that the the graduation ceremony took place at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
Some of the prominent dignitaries that graced the convocation ceremony include
the Executive Director Planning Research and Statistics DESOPADEC; Amb. Dr. Comr Shedrack Agediga joined the Chairman, Managing Director, other Executive directors and members of the Board of DESOPADEC, Traditional Rulers amongst other Dignitaries, in the graduation Ceremony of the pioneer students of the DESOPADEC Skill Academy, under the Leadership of the visitor of the Academy Governor Ifeanyi A. Okowa ably represented by the Chief of staff government house; Hon Festus Ovie Agas.
