Foundation Trains Over 4,000 Niger Delta Residents in Skills Acquisition

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A Niger Delta-based non-governmental organisation, MGE Foundation, has trained over 4,000 persons in diverse vocational skills since its inception in 2007 as part of sustained efforts to combat poverty and promote economic empowerment across the region.

The foundation made the disclosure during its eighth graduation ceremony held in Port Harcourt, where 28 beneficiaries successfully completed their training and were presented with start-up tools, including sewing machines, gas cookers and laptops, to enable them establish their respective businesses. 

With the latest graduation, the foundation’s total number of beneficiaries has risen to 4,043.

Speaking at the event, Co-founder of the foundation, Mr George Etomi, said the initiative was conceived in response to the devastating impact of illegal oil bunkering on the livelihoods of many Niger Delta communities, particularly fishermen who depended on the waterways for survival.

According to him, the destruction of the fishing economy left many families without a sustainable means of livelihood, prompting the founders to intervene through skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development.

“In those days, after graduation, you could either go fishing or further your education. Fishing was a thing of pride. So when we saw what was happening, we decided to see how we could help people instead of getting angry,” he said.

Etomi disclosed that the foundation currently records a success rate of about 90 per cent among its trainees, adding that participants undergo a one-year intensive training programme designed to equip them with practical and entrepreneurial skills.

“If God allows us, we will continue to lift as many people as possible out of poverty,” he added.

Also speaking virtually from the United States, the foundation’s other Co-founder, Dr. Mike Etomi, stressed the importance of vocational skills in today’s economy, describing skill acquisition as a critical pathway to self-reliance and sustainable development.

He commended the Executive Director of the foundation, Mrs. Ibifama Walaku-Saya, for sustaining the programme despite prevailing economic challenges and the transition to a cashless economy.

In her remarks, Walaku-Saya reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty through entrepreneurship and human capital development.

“Our mission is to empower people with practical skills that will enable them become self-reliant. Every year, we celebrate the success of our entrepreneurs, and that remains our greatest source of fulfilment,” she said.

President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta Mbata, who attended the ceremony, lauded the foundation for its consistency in empowering youths and vulnerable members of society, describing the initiative as a worthy contribution to community development.

One of the beneficiaries, Maxwell Adoki, expressed gratitude to the foundation for giving him a new direction in life. “In my prayers, I remember MGE Foundation every single morning because they changed my life,” he said.

Beyond vocational training, the foundation has also expanded its interventions through a partnership with Bishop Abere School of Music, providing music education and training opportunities for young talents in the region.