The North Central Development Commission (NCDC), has commenced its human capital development programmes with the empowerment of youths, women and artisans in Benue State.
The first phase of the empowerment in the state facilitated by the Chairman Senate Committee on NCDC Senator Titus Tartenger Zam drew beneficiaries from Gboko/Tarka Buruku, Gwer East/West Federal Constituencies.
The event which took place at the Catholic Pastoral Centre Makurdi attracted hundreds of enthusiastic youths, women, and artisans in attendance expressing great appreciation to the NCDC for paying attention to human and social development.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the NCDC Governing Board Mr. Cosmas Akighir, said the empowerment is in line with the policy vision of the Commission which seeks to facilitate wholistic development that addresses poverty, unemployment and improve economic opportunities for the citizens of the region.
While thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving the Commission support, Akighir said the Commission is poised to address key infrastructural development in all sectors but will not neglect soft development issues that eradicate poverty and build the economic base of the region’s teeming youths, women and talented artisans.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NCDC, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, who was represented by the Executive Director Industrial and Commercial, Hajiya Aisha Rufai Ibrahim, said the empowerment projects will go round the entire states of the North Central region targeting a vibrant and large youth/women population that has not been fully mobilised for economic prosperity.
Tsensyil noted that the event represented an important milestone in the journey of the Commission towards fulfilling its mandate of promoting sustainable economic growth, entrepreneurship, agricultural development and improved livelihoods across the North Central region.
The NCDC MD further said; “The Commission recognises that sustainable development cannot be achieved through infrastructure alone. While roads, schools, healthcare facilities, electricity and other essential infrastructure are important, the development of human capital remains equally critical because people must be equipped with the skills, tools and opportunities required to become productive, self-reliant and economically empowered”.
Speaking in turn, the Executive Director Projects, Princess Atika Ajanah said the programme also marked a significant turning point for the Commission as it signals the commencement of the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 budget.
Ajana said that the programme has moved the NCDC from the planning and institutional establishment phase into the practical delivery of development interventions for the people of the North Central region.
She said the NCDC remains grateful to Mr. President and the National Assembly for support and remains hopeful that additional funding will be released to enable the Commission to implement more projects and interventions across various sectors.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NCDC Senator Titus Tartenger Zam expressed delight that the Commission has partnered with him to bring the empowerment programme to fruition, describing it as a good starting point for massive development interventions in the North Central.
Zam said in as much as infrastructural development is very important, the people’s socio-economic lives must be prioritised, hence his intervention to ensure that the NCDC empowers youths, women and artisans to make them self-reliant.
He expressed commitment towards ensuring that funds are properly appropriated by the National Assembly are released for the Commission to carry out its mandate of developing the North Central region in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Also speaking, the chairman of the occasion, Hon. Emmanuel Jime appreciated the NCDC and Senator Zam for the collaboration to tackle human development as a means of reducing poverty and developing the people of the North Central region.
A statement by Dr. Makut Simon Macham Head, Media and Corporate Communications Department of NCDC, stated that before the distribution of the empowerment materials, training sessions were held at the Sese Park and Event Centre, Makurdi for the beneficiaries.
Items distributed include motorcycles, grinding machines, sewing machines, car washing machines and agricultural hand plough tools.
