NAOWA launches N25m vocational training centre in Ogun

A vocational training centre worth N25 million has been launched by the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta chapter, in Ogun State.

This is part of efforts to check rising unemployment in the country, promote human capacity building and self-reliance, especially among jobless youths and women. The vocational training centre, when completed, will offer different vocational training ranging from catering and hotel management, computer studies, textile and fashion designing, fish farming, hairdressing and barbing, cosmetology, among other vocations, for both educated and semi-literate youths and women in Abeokuta.

Speaking at the launch of the N25 million centre at the Alamala Barracks recently, Marcella Ahmadu, NAOWA co-ordinator, said “the centre would serve as a training institution for women, youths and any interested persons at the barracks and neighbouring communities,” saying certificates would be issued to anyone that undergo any vocational courses at the centre.

Ahmadu explained that the programme would assist women, especially widows of fallen army officers, in providing adequate care to their homes and help build youths socio-economic capacities, but urged them to make good use of the centre when completed.

The NAOWA co-ordinator also said that the association intended to purchase buses to aid its activities and the movement of students in and outside the campus, as the centre will draw students from in and out of the barracks, adding that NAOWA vocational training centre would bridge the gap between the military and civilian and enhance unity among various language group in the country.

Also speaking, David Ahmadu, a brigadier general and commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, said NAOWA had been in the vanguard of providing welfare programmes targeted at women, youths, children and the less privileged in the society, expressing optimism that the intended project would not only empower NAOWA but would also make the association self-reliant in order to be able to contribute to socio-economic and national development.

“I am highly optimistic that the intended project will not only empower NAOWA, but will also make them self-reliant so as to fit into the larger society and contribute to economic and national development. Let me also inform you that it is the dream of every commander to alleviate poverty within his unit and formation.

“Once this is achieved, the troops are left with less problems which will further enable them to be in good frame of mind to discharge their duty more professionally, thereby enhancing command and control,” he said.

Earlier, Olufunso Amosun, wife of the state governor, represented by Yinka Elemide, tasked women to see themselves as change agents that would impact positively on the lives of children, adding that the project would drastically reduce crime rate both in the state and Nigeria.

Also, Victoria Isang, comptroller, Nigerian Immigration Service, Ogun State command, argued that NAOWA initiative as regards vocational training and youths empowerment would reduce crime rate and provide alternative business for the youths and women that take the larger population percentage of the country, describing the initiative as NAOWA contribution to nation building.