By Kelvin Utebor
The Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Bashorun Askia Ogieh, has launched ‘DESOPADEC Academy’ with aim to impact requisite skills on the youth and equip them with the capacity to venture into the exciting world of entrepreneurship.
Askia in his speech said skills acquisition was the key to building an assured future for the young generation.
DESOPADEC MD said this during his speech, today, at the DESOPADEC Skills Academy Matriculation Ceremony, PTI conference Hall Effurun, Ovwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
He said, “This is more so, because development can only be said to be total and encompassing when the tangibles we have been known for connects with the intangibles like our nascent academy.
“We have always believed that we can provide our willing, teeming youths the oyster that can drain them from the space of helplessness, strongly convinced that entrepreneurship is the antidote to unemployment.
“This Academy is therefore one of our major pillars designed to deliver our low hanging fruits.
 “Today is the beginning of one of our major intervention measures to address a critical issue that plagues not only our youth in Delta State, but the entire country.
“We are blessed with a large pool of educated and energetic young men and women. However, without technical skills in an increasingly competitive world, many of our youth have been left job less
“Everyone is born with a passion and latent, buried gifts which can be harnessed. Elsewhere, I have said one’s passion, outside academic qualifications, can lead to wealth creation and comfort.
“The future belongs to the youths with fall back trades, those who create jobs and have become entrepreneurs and not seekers of white collar jobs.
“Research has shown that the average skilled person earns above Five Thousand Naira daily and even above on a job done, that is more than the Minimum Wage as recommended. And the beauty of this is that they have assistants who apart from being trained, earn a living too, thereby creating a multitude of entrepreneurs.
“The DESOPADEC Academy which we are launching today is a new platform we have created to impact requisite skills on the youth and equip them with the capacity to venture into the exciting world of entrepreneurship. Skills acquisition is the key to building an assured future for the young generation.
“Under this initiative, qualified young men and women were selected through a rigorous, transparent process and are being sent to designated, approved and well-equipped technical institutions to acquire new skills and knowledge.
“The training which will be full time, will last for six months after which the successful candidates will be equipped materially, financially and with promotional support.
“Some people have been promoting false and mischievous narratives on the management of the income accruing to Delta State under the derivation principle. Let me make it clear that DESOPADEC is the product of an Act of Parliament, having been passed into law by the Delta State House of Assembly under the administration of His Excellency, Chief James Ibori.
“The provisions of the DESOPADEC Act have been diligently implemented over the years. Under His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, our governor, there has been no interference on the running of DESOPADEC.
“For our development partners, I urge you to embrace the apprentices under your care and help us to groom a new generation of entrepreneurs.”
 One hundred and sixty students were matriculated
