The Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) on Thursday, graduated 231 barracks youths from its Youth Development Project in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The president of NAOWA and Wife of the Chief of Army Staff, Mrs Salamatu Yahaya, said the first set of 234 undergraduate youths successfully graduated on Nov. 3.
She said that NAOWA Youth Development Project was initiated to positively engage the youth in the barracks by committing them to learning activities in the area of ICT and entrepreneurial skills that would enhance their academic and career pursuits, as well as their productivity in various spheres of life.
According to her, at commencement, this programme was designed for the undergraduate youth of public universities who were at home at that period due to the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities.
“However, based on the number of youth who showed interest in the programme, it was expanded to accommodate Secondary School Certificate holders who are yet to secure admission into higher institutions of learning.
“Consequently, the second batch of trainees comprising 231 youths, whom we are graduating today are predominantly secondary school certificate holders.
“This second batch of trainees were taken through six weeks of vigorous training in various fields of ICT namely: Python for Beginners, Introduction to Cyber Security, Web Design, IT Essential and Get Connected.
“The training is conducted by Unites Cisco Networking Academy, who are our technical facilitators for this project.
“The Unites Cisco Networking Academy is globally recognized in the field of Information and Communication Technology, therefore, the graduating trainees would be issued Cisco recognized certificates and have been registered on the Cisco Networking Academy Website.
“This would grant them access to Cisco Advance Learning Networks and also entitle them to discounted rates in all advance computer trainings which they may wish to enroll with the Unites Cisco Networking Academy,” she said.
Mrs Yahaya disclosed that 32 other youths from the barracks were currently undergoing a three-month intensive training in fashion design and tailoring and expected to graduate at the appropriate time.
“As a continuation of what we started during the first graduation ceremony, we shall be presenting gift items, precisely: Brand New Laptop Computers to the best 3 graduating trainees in each course, who distinguished themselves by their outstanding performance.
“This action is aimed at encouraging them to be more proactive and also to put on emphasis on the importance of utilizing rare opportunities of this nature,” she added.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, commended the efforts of NAOWA and pledged to sustain the support of the Nigerian army to the actualisation of NAOWA’s youth development project.
The COAS, therefore, urged the barracks youth to work towards achieving self discovery on their talents and potentials that would position them for greater future.
He advised them to follow their strength and deploy it so as to be able to start engaging in entrepreneurial ventures.
He also charged them to deploy the knowledge they had acquired to enhance their skills and competences even in academic pursuit.
“We will support you, because you have started. Don’t sit down doing nothing because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
“Those who are in the barracks are in better stands to understand how system works. In school, chose where you are best suited,” he said.
The President, National Council for Women Society ((NCWS), Mrs Lami Lau, commended NAOWA for its youth and women empowerment drive.
Lau said the initiative of the association was in line with the core objective of the NCWS, adding that empowering the youth would help the nation to grow.
She urged the youths to adequately deploy their skills they had acquired from the training to shape their future. (NAN)
