By Lucy Ladidi Ateko

Family Homes Funds Limited has graduated 572 artisans under its pilot skills acquisition programme, with 72 Abuja-based beneficiaries securing automatic employment from the Renewed Hope City housing project.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, represented by Executive Director, Operations, Emeka Henry, disclosed this on Wednesday during the graduation and closing ceremony of the Abuja Artisan Skills Training Programme held in Karsana, Abuja.

Henry said the programme, supported by the African Development Bank under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund, was aimed at tackling unemployment and addressing the shortage of skilled manpower in Nigeria’s construction sector.

He explained that before the Abuja graduation, over 500 artisans had earlier been trained in Katsina under the pilot phase, with many of them already securing employment opportunities through partnerships with developers and construction firms.

“Out of the 572 artisans trained so far under the pilot phase, over 500 have already secured employment and engagement opportunities through ongoing partnerships and industry collaborations,” he said.

Henry added that the initiative targets the training of over 2,000 artisans nationwide before the end of the year.

Henry noted that the programme combined classroom learning with practical site experience at major construction projects, including the Renewed Hope City project in Abuja.

He said beneficiaries also received monthly stipends, starter toolkits and nationally recognised certifications to support their transition into employment and entrepreneurship.

“The certification issued to the graduating artisans is professionally recognised and provides credibility for the beneficiaries not only within Nigeria but also internationally,” he stated.

Speaking at the event, a representative of Renewed Hope City, Etu Matthew, said the 72 artisans trained and graduated in Abuja had been offered automatic employment by the housing project.

According to him, officials of the estate project participated in assessing the training curriculum and monitored the trainees throughout the programme.

“We were involved in the training process and can attest that the graduands are professionally certified and ready to make positive impact in Nigeria,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of C-STEMP and Project Manager, Seth Ogungbemi, described the initiative as a major intervention in addressing unemployment and strengthening the country’s skilled labour force.

“One of the major challenges in the country is shortage of skilled manpower. With programmes like this, you can guarantee that you have a pool of certified workforce ready for employment,” Ogungbemi said.

One of the beneficiaries, Eucharia Onah, said the programme exposed participants to practical construction work and improved their technical competence.

“We were given stipends every month and exposed to practical training at different project sites. Now I can confidently carry out plastering and block work,” she said.

Another graduate, plumbing trainee Agbaje Damilola, described the programme as impactful, saying it strengthened his passion for the construction industry.

“The programme was very interesting and practical. I want to use the skills I acquired to contribute to the construction sector and prove myself as one of the beneficiaries of this training,” he said.