The Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) has collaborated with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to empower thirty unemployed youths with technical skills in housing construction and entrepreneurship as part of its 2021 Corporate Social responsibility program.
This year’s exercise marks the sixth batch of NMRC’s annual skills acquisition program that is designed to achieve the dual purpose of enhancing the livelihoods of youth as well as contributing to tackling the skills gap in the housing construction industry in the country.
The beneficiaries underwent a two-month intensive training program in areas such as tiling, plumbing, POP design as well as electrical installations.
In his remarks at the closing ceremony of the vocational skills training program in Lagos, the Managing Director of the NMRC, Mr. Kehinde Ogundimu said that the scheme is part of NMRC’s ongoing strategic community outreach program.
He said the exercise is in line with NMRC’s CSR policy of impacting lives, empowering unemployed and vulnerable persons as well contributing to ongoing efforts to redress the dearth of qualified artisans in the building and construction industry in Nigeria.
“The housing construction industry as a major employer of labor has a significant role to play in redressing the unemployment situation in the country. That is why at NMRC, we have deliberately tailored our Corporate Social Responsibility towards empowering Nigerian youths with practical, market-ready vocational skills in housing construction. This will enable them to profitably take advantage of the growth opportunities in the sector for self-employment and entrepreneurship. Through our CSR program, we aim to build a pool of highly qualified local artisans that would discourage developers from bringing in personnel from other countries for their projects.” Kehinde Ogundimu, MD/CEO, NMRC
The NMRC CEO thanked the management of the ITF for the continued partnership and timely completion of the training program.
He also encouraged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the skills they have acquired to take their lives to the next phase.
Also speaking at the event, the Head of Training, Mr. Benjamin Fadare thanked the NMRC for being a responsive sponsorship partner to ITF and sustaining the program over the course of five years now. Mr. Fadare noted that the annual training programs are laudable and make a constructive impact on the lives of the beneficiaries.
He called on other organizations to follow the example of the NMRC in skill acquisition for Nigerian youths, adding that this would help address the unemployment rate in the country.
The beneficiaries expressed appreciation to NMRC and ITF for empowering them with the capacity to lead more economically viable lives and become more responsible Nigerian citizens.
