A non governmental organisation, Niger Delta Professionals for Development, has conducted an empowerment training programme for community women and staff of Warri North Local Government Area at the council’s headquarters in Koko, Delta State.

According to the Senior Programme Officer of the body, Mr Victor Elomhenriaomon, the aim of the empowerment training was to prepare women to contribute meaningfully towards th governance of local, state and Federal Government.

He said it was high time women rose to the challenge of making themselves relevant on how the nation was governed.

According to Mr Elomhenriaomon, among the objectives of the training was to create a safe space for the development of the Niger Delta women and youths and to create a platform for peace and human capital development.

He confirmed that the training was taking place in four local governments, two from Delta State and another two in Bayelsa State. In Delta State, the programme was holding in Isoko South and Warri North Local Government, while in Bayelsa State, the programme was holding in Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw local governments.

The body, according to him, has received financial aid from Oxfam Novib, the Netherlands base humanitarian organization which has greatly enhanced and boosted the activities of the body in providing humanitarian services to women of the rural areas of the Niger Delta region, through a project recommended to them by the donor organisation, called ‘’On-livelihood and governance,’’ which carries the acronym ‘’ONLAG.’’

The programme, which began in 2009, according to the programme officer, will run up to 2014 and it is scheduled to assist 6,048 beneficiaries, made up of 75 per cent women and 25 per cent men, youths inclusive.

He said the body has already donated residential homes to a good number of beneficiaries in the Niger Delta and it hoped to train people on skills, such as pastry, soap making, craft, tailoring and many other disciplines.