Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has received the database produced by a consultant for its Youth Internship Scheme launched on August 5, 2024 in Port Harcourt by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Receiving the database of the applicants for the scheme on behalf of the NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai, stated that 10,000 youths that would be selected across the Niger Delta region would receive a monthly stipend of N50,000 for one year.
Antai noted that the registration portal for the transformative initiative was closed on August 31, 2024, while the selection process was in progress. He highlighted the scheme’s achievements thus far, noting that over three million applicants registered for the internship programme.
The Executive Director assured that the selection process would be seamless and transparent, noting that the Commission was working round the clock to ensure an efficient and effective delivery for the beneficiaries.
Antai said that NDDC engaged Southbridge Consultants to produce the database and provide an official breakdown of the information from the applicants for a flawless project analysis.
To quicken the selection process, Antai said that the Commission also engaged another consulting firm, Angala Fintech, to oversee the selection of beneficiaries at both the state and local government levels.
He said that the NDDC having received the database from Southbridge consultants, it was necessary to handover the documents for the internship scheme analysis to Angala Fintech, the lead consultant, for further processing.
Antai explained that the NDDC Finance Directorate would be responsible for the disbursement of funds to the selected beneficiaries throughout the internship period of one year, to guarantee that financial support was delivered efficiently.
The NDDC Director of Information Technology, Engr. Emeka Ani, commended the Executive Director Projects, for working tirelessly to ensure that the internship programme was a success.
He expressed his gratitude to the Managing Director of Southbridge Consultants, Mr. DagogoTolofari, for developing a robust database capable of handling the vast amount of applicant data without any technical issues.
He said that the database would not only facilitate the smooth execution of the project, but would also assist the NDDC in future for planning empowerment programmes for the youths.
Ani said: “We are excited about the potential of this internship scheme to create lasting change in the lives of our youth. The overwhelming response from applicants demonstrates a strong desire for growth and opportunity in our region.”
