The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has started giving N50,000 every month to 10,000 young people from the Niger Delta. This is part of a special program called the Youths Internship Scheme.
The NDDC’s spokesperson, Mrs. Seledi-Thompson-Wakama, told journalists in Port Harcourt that the selected youths will get hands-on training in different companies for one year to help them learn important skills.
In July 2024, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that the Federal Government had approved this payment for the trainees. Now, NDDC has completed the selection process, and the first payments have begun.
According to Thompson-Wakama, more than 3.2 million youths applied for the program, but only 10,000 were chosen in a fair and open process. She said this shows how eager young people are to improve their lives.
The program also helped NDDC collect useful information about the youths, such as their skills, education, and job status. This will help the commission plan better programs for them in the future.
To improve how it operates, NDDC is working with KPMG, a global consulting company. KPMG has given NDDC advice on making their programs more effective and focused on real change.
Thompson-Wakama thanked the youths for being patient during the selection process and promised that the program would make a positive difference in their lives.
