NDE Woos Delta Govt To Expand Jobs

Acting director-general of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Edmund Onwuliri, has urged the Delta State government to strengthen its partnership with the agency to expand job creation and support the resettlement of beneficiaries trained under the federal government’s Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI).

Onwuliri made the appeal during a working visit to Asaba, where he met with the secretary to the state government (SSG), D Kingsley Eze Emu, who represented Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and presented business start-up equipment to beneficiaries of RHEI phase II.

He said the NDE trained 891 unemployed persons across Delta State during the first phase of the initiative and expanded the programme to 1,067 beneficiaries in phase II.

He noted that although 380 beneficiaries were approved for resettlement, only 33 received starter packs because of funding constraints, prompting the directorate to seek the state’s support for the remaining beneficiaries.

The acting DG also announced that phase III of the programme would commence in mid-July 2026 with a digital registration platform integrating the National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).

He added that the NDE had partnered with Timeterest to develop an application that would enable beneficiaries to market their products and allow the agency to monitor business growth.

“The vision of the National Directorate of Employment remains job creation for all Nigerians. Through the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, we are equipping beneficiaries with practical skills and providing starter packs to help them establish sustainable businesses and become employers of labour.

The starter packs are not merely government assistance. They are seed capital for building viable businesses. Use them responsibly, remain committed to your entrepreneurial goals and continuously strive to innovate and grow,” Onwuliri said.

Responding, the SSG, Kingsley Eze Emu, reaffirmed Governor Oborevwori’s commitment to youth empowerment and pledged that the Delta State Government would support beneficiaries yet to receive starter packs. He also requested a comprehensive database of the affected beneficiaries to facilitate intervention.

“We will continue to collaborate with the federal government, development partners and the private sector to expand economic opportunities for our people, particularly youths and women who remain central to our development aspirations,” Emu said.

At the federal secretariat in Asaba, the directorate also distributed business equipment to beneficiaries trained in tailoring, welding, computer operations, solar installation, GSM phone repairs, carpentry, catering, electrical installation and landscaping.

Earlier, the director of vocational skills development, Chris Bamsida, urged beneficiaries to use the provided equipment prudently.

“The knowledge, skills and equipment you have received should serve as the foundation for building successful enterprises. Use these resources responsibly and become worthy ambassadors of the National Directorate of Employment,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Yelloa Esther thanked the federal government and the NDE, pledging to use the equipment to establish sustainable businesses.