Poise Nigeria hosts Netherlands’ PM, Mark Rutte to appreciate his Government’s Effort on Youth Employability & Skill Development

On Wednesday, November 27th, 2019, Poise Nigeria played host to His Excellency, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, in an open event held to acknowledge and appreciate the government of the Netherlands for its unwavering support in advancing the cause of youth employability, entrepreneurship, and skills development through OXFAM and Poise Nigeria. The Prime Minister was ably represented by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Harry Van Dijk, the Consul General of the Netherlands in Lagos,
Jan Van Weijen, and other key diplomatic delegates of the Netherlands to Nigeria.

In her opening address, the Managing Director of Poise Nigeria, Ebele Chukwujama, laid out the specific ways in which partnership with the government of the Netherlands has aided Poise Nigeria’s efforts in providing tangible solutions to unemployment, poverty and social discrimination among young people in Nigeria. According to her, the partnership has enabled Poise Nigeria, through the Poise Graduate Communal Support Foundation, and other flagship programmes like Ekobits, Career Kickstart and Next Economy, to equip underprivileged teenagers and youths with global technology and soft skills that enable them create decent work and drive economic growth, and also foster strategic employability trainings for the teeming population of graduates of Nigerian universities every year, enhancing their chances of getting gainfully employed. Under a 3-year period, about 3000 youths in Lagos and Edo State have been trained through these programmes, and a centre has been established in Nassarawa State.

A noteworthy achievement is that graduates of these programmes record an employment rate of about 78%.

The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Harry Van Dijk, expressed his pleasure at the work and projects Poise is doing. He stated that Poise’s work is in alignment with their objectives in Nigeria, and that the government of the Netherlands is primed to look for ways to expand the projects and further strengthen their partnership. The Consul General, Jan Van Weijen, also took the moment to commend and express his pride in Poise’s work.

The event, which ended on a high note, turned out to be a platform for open deliberations and an opportunity to further explore the latent potentials of well-directed partnerships for sustainable development among the present stakeholders.

Present to receive the delegates was Mavi Isibor, Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Poise Nigeria, as well as other dignitaries from select organizations, including the Managing Director of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeanyinwa Ugochukwu; the Head of Programs, OXFAM Nigeria, Isaac Omrogbe; General Manager, Keystone Bank Plc, Helen Enyo; Godwin Akpong of Stanbic IBTC Group; Tolulope Adeyinka, Manager, Strategic Partnerships, First Bank Plc, Alhaja S. Fagbemi from the Office of the National Women Leader NASFAT and other stakeholders.

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