The Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Mr Olusegun Runsewe, says empowering youths with skills and creativity will reduce the rate of crimes and social vices in the country.
Runsewe said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of a two-day empowerment programme for ‘caddies’ at the IBB Golf club on Friday in Abuja.
NAN reports that 207 caddies were trained and awarded certificate of completion and cash prize at the end of the training.
According to the director-general, the skill acquisition programme is part of the council’s initiative aimed at empowering and improving lives of Nigerian youths.
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He added that the training was a new brand to help enhance the lives of people, noting that the caddies were the integral part of golfers.
Runsewe said that the training acquired by the caddies would be an additional income generating venture for them.
“The caddies are very important because they help carry load and having spent time at the golf, the remaining time should be used for meaningful things that will generate additional income.
“The caddies do not only help us carry our bags but they mean a lot to us and that gave birth to this programme.
“This is a new brand and the new brand is touching lives today,” he said.
Earlier, the Captain of the club, Shola Awoyungbo, expressed gratitude for the privilege to host the empowerment programme.
He urged the participants to take the skills acquired seriously, adding that they have been given insurance for ageing.
He said that as a caddie, there are limits they could go but if they acquired other skills like tailoring and others, it could be transferable to generations.
Awoyungbo therefore advised the caddies who had been trained to take advantage of the training and leverage on it.
Maj.-Gen. IBM Haruna (rtd.), BOT Chairman of IBB international Golf Club, says the caddies were lucky and privileged to participate in the skill acquisition programme, however advised them to put it to use.
He appreciated the management of NCAC for touching the lives of 207 caddies.
NAN reports that caddies are persons who carry golfers’ bags and clubs and provides other assistance during a match.
The 2019 free skill acquisition and waste to wealth training programme for the caddies was the flagship of NCAC. (NAN)