A total of 572 artisans have graduated under the skills acquisition programme of Family Homes Funds Limited, with 72 Abuja-based beneficiaries securing automatic employment through the Renewed Hope City Housing Project.
This was contained in a statement on Tuesday obtained by The PUNCH. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FHFL, Abdul Mutallab Mukhtar, disclosed this on Tuesday during the graduation ceremony of the Abuja Stream 1 Artisans Programme held in Karsana, Abuja.
Mukhtar, who was represented at the event by the Executive Director of Operations at FHFL, Dr Emeka Henry, commended the Federal Ministry of Finance, particularly the International Economic Relations Department, for its support, guidance, and collaboration throughout the implementation of the programme.
He also expressed appreciation to the African Development Bank for its contribution towards tackling unemployment and addressing the shortage of skilled manpower within Nigeria’s construction sector.
The FHFL boss further explained that prior to the Abuja graduation, “over 500 artisans had earlier been trained in Katsina under the pilot phase of the initiative, with many already securing employment opportunities through partnerships with developers and construction firms.”
According to him, the programme aims to train over 2,000 artisans nationwide before the end of the year.
He noted that one of the distinguishing features of the initiative was its strong emphasis on practical learning, stressing that trainees were exposed to rigorous hands-on and on-site sessions at the Renewed Hope City, Karsana Project Site in Abuja, and other construction locations.
Mukhtar also said the practical exposure significantly enhanced the participants’ technical competence and industry readiness.
Speaking at the event, a representative of Renewed Hope City, Mr Etu Matthew, disclosed that all 72 artisans trained and graduated in Abuja had been offered automatic employment by the housing project.
According to him, the graduands demonstrated professional competence and are well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s construction industry.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of C-STEMP and Project Manager, Mr Seth Ogungbemi, described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at reducing unemployment and strengthening the country’s skilled labour force.
He noted that the shortage of skilled manpower remains one of the nation’s major challenges. Ogungbemi added that programmes such as this help create a reliable pool of certified professionals ready for employment opportunities.
One of the beneficiaries, a plumbing trainee, Agbaje Damilola, described the programme as highly impactful. Damilola stated that it further strengthened his passion and commitment to building a career in the construction industry.
Beneficiaries also received monthly stipends, starter toolkits, and nationally recognised certifications to support their transition into employment and entrepreneurship.
