Dafinone Bags NAEC Award for Empowering Delta Youths Through Vocational Training

Leaders of the Nigerian Association of Engineering Craftsmen (NAEC) have honoured Senator Ede Dafinone for his commitment to vocational skills development, commending his investment in scaffolding training for youths in Delta Central, which they said has created employment opportunities and strengthened the pool of skilled technical manpower in the region.

The commendation came during a courtesy visit by the Delta State leadership of the association to the Senator, where he was presented with an Award of Recognition for his contributions to skills acquisition and youth empowerment.

Speaking during the visit, the Assistant National General Secretary of NAEC, Engn. Craft. Isaac Ehwerherume, said the association’s visit was purely to appreciate Senator Dafinone’s foresight in prioritising practical skills that directly improve the employability of young Nigerians.

He noted that the scaffolding training programme had already yielded positive results, with several participants securing employment shortly after completing the training, describing the initiative as a model of sustainable youth empowerment.

Ehwerherume said the Senator’s focus on vocational development rather than one-off empowerment schemes demonstrated a long-term approach to addressing unemployment through technical education and industry-relevant skills.

Also speaking, the Delta State Chairman of NAEC, Engn. Craft. Atiku Sirajo Abubakar, PhD, lamented the shortage of certified technical personnel in Nigeria despite the country’s large youth population, noting that many multinational companies still depend on skilled workers from countries such as India, Pakistan and other parts of Asia and Europe.

He advocated stronger collaboration between the association and Senator Dafinone to identify critical skills shortages and expand training programmes in line with the National Skills Qualification (NSQ) and National Occupational Standards (NOS), with the goal of producing globally competitive artisans.

In recognition of his contributions to human capital development, the association presented Senator Dafinone with an Award of Recognition, describing his efforts as exemplary and worthy of emulation by other public office holders.

Responding, Senator Dafinone expressed appreciation to the association for the honour and reaffirmed his commitment to expanding vocational training opportunities for youths across Delta Central.

He explained that the scaffolding training programme was introduced after careful research identified it as one of the most marketable technical skills with strong employment prospects.

“Our objective is to equip young people with practical skills that guarantee employment, not only in Delta State but across Nigeria. We have already trained 100 youths in scaffolding, and the outcome has been encouraging, with some beneficiaries securing jobs within a week of completing the programme,” the Senator said.

Dafinone disclosed that additional specialised vocational training programmes would soon be introduced in other high-demand sectors, adding that future beneficiaries would be carefully selected to ensure that genuinely unemployed and committed youths benefit from the initiatives.

He urged young Nigerians to embrace technical and vocational education alongside formal academic qualifications, stressing that the shrinking white-collar job market makes practical skills, entrepreneurship and innovation increasingly important.

The Senator also encouraged youths, especially those in rural communities, to explore agriculture as a sustainable means of livelihood, maintaining that skills acquisition and self-reliance remain critical to tackling unemployment.

The NAEC delegation included Delta State Chairman, Engn. Craft. Atiku Sirajo Abubakar, PhD; Assistant National General Secretary, Engn. Craft. Isaac Ehwerherume; former Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (Warri Branch), Engr. Benjamin Ozobeme; Delta State Treasurer, Engn. Craft. Munkaila Bebeji; Engn. Craft. Triumph Karewei; Engn. Craft. Gabriel Imoleayo; Engn. Craft. Maude Badamasi; and Prince Zaks Bagaiya.