The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has launched its Youth Internship Scheme, offering N50,000 monthly stipends to 10,000 youths. The initiative aims to address skill and education gaps, with an online portal for applications. Age limits are set to ensure the program benefits younger individuals.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has officially launched its Youth Internship Scheme, designed to empower 10,000 youths with N50,000 monthly stipends and essential skills. The scheme, introduced on Tuesday, aims to address the pressing issues of limited education and skills among the youth in the Niger Delta.
During the portal's unveiling, Chiedu Ebie, Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, highlighted the transformative potential of the initiative. The program is set up as a free online platform, streamlining the application process and ensuring that only genuine applicants benefit. An age limit of 45 years has been imposed to ensure that younger individuals, who are closer to starting their careers, can take advantage of this opportunity.
Ebie emphasized that the scheme is not open to pensioners and urged those above the age limit to refrain from applying, to ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries. He stressed the importance of this initiative in providing practical skills and stipends to support the participants during their internships.
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director and CEO of NDDC, warned that participants must maintain good conduct or face expulsion. Quarterly reports will monitor behavior, and any misconduct could result in removal from the program. Ogbuku also assured that the selection process would be transparent, with each state receiving an equal number of participants initially before adjusting based on crude oil production quotas.
The NDDC has also invested in a robust database infrastructure, including six servers, to manage the high volume of applications and ensure the portal's reliability. The scheme promises to engage youths across various fields, including technology, finance, agriculture, and the arts, reinforcing the NDDC’s commitment to youth empowerment in the region.
