Eighty women have graduated from a skills acquisition programme of the Andoni Cluster Development Board (CDB) under the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) JV’s Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) for the development of communities in the Niger Delta.

The 80 youths earned National Board of Technical Education (NBTE)-approved certificates at the end of a three-month intensive training programme in fashion and design, catering, cosmetology and computer. The recently concluded programme was held at the Workmanship and Technical Training Centre (WTTC) in Bori, Rivers State, under a partnership between the Andoni GMoU CDB and the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA).

“Our Global Memorandum of Understanding with our host communities is anchored on the principle that they should drive their own development and capacity building. This structure elevates SPDC and the host communities to the rank of partners, collaborating for a common purpose; the continued development of Nigeria’s Niger Delta region,” said SPDC’s Head Government and Community Relations, Edesiri Akpomudjere.

He congratulated the beneficiaries for successfully completing the intensive training programme and challenged them to utilise the skills and networks they have gained from the training to their full potential.

“Today is a very unique day and I am glad to see hardworking women graduate from a rigorous training programme,” said Mrs. Blessing Daniel-Kalio, General Manager, Business Development and Job Creation, RSSDA.

The Andoni CDB Chairman, Chief Gad Harry thanked the SPDC JV for playing a key role in the success of the programme. “These young women are our pride, the repository of our own values knowing the role they would play in our society tomorrow,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries said that the programme has equipped them with skills that would set them apart in an increasingly competitive job market and thanked the SPDC JV for funding the development programmes of the Andoni CDB.

•Photo shows Social Performance and Social Investment Manager, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria JV, Gloria Udoh presenting a prize to one of the beneficiaries of the 2013/2014 SPDC JV University Scholarship, second year student of Medicine and Surgery, University of Ibadan, Samson Okubanjo at the award ceremony . . . recently in Port Harcourt.