Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
Enugu State Commissioner for Gender Affairs, Peace Nnaji, has raised the alarm at the rate at which new-born babies are recklessly dumped in dustbins, soak-aways and hidden places by their mothers.
She lamented that incidences of teenage and unwanted pregnancies were on the increase. As such, she said it had become imperative for government to come up with programmes that would help in empowering young girls and women and by so doing take their attention away from such ugly vices.
On his part, the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kunle Obayan, on Monday in Enugu lamented the current security challenges facing the country where young men, girls and women have been turned into suicide bombers by Boko Haram, noting that the agency has initiated a number of programmes that would get such vulnerable people meaningfully engaged.
He said by the time the results of such programmes begin to manifest, lots of people who ordinarily idle away and become easy prey would not only acquire skills but also become self-reliant.
Both officials spoke at the commencement of a week-long training of 50 women on the making of Tie and Dye textile materials in Enugu.
Obayan who was represented by the Enugu State Coordinator of the NDE, Joseph Iroegbu said no fewer than 500 persons mostly women who have acquired different types of skills would be resettled in line with its Artisans Resettlement Mentoring Scheme before the last quarter of this year.
The skills include Fondant Ice Coating, hats and beads making, interior decoration, confectionery, fabric and designs bags and shoe making.
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