By Femi Bolaji, JalingoAbout 400 women and youths across Taraba North have been empowered with start-up kits after an extensive skill acquisition programme which was facilitated by a former member of the national assembly, Aminu Malle.

Malle represented Jalingo/Yorro/Zing federal constituency in the House of Representatives from 2011-2019, and he is the current Chief of Staff to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase.

The beneficiaries were trained on barbing, hairdressing, ICT, catering and events management among others.

Items distributed to the beneficiaries include 80 sewing machines, 60 superpower clippers and generating sets for barbers, 80 sets of computer laptops, 60 sets of catering/cooking items, 80 set of hairdressing items and 80 sets of phone repair tools.

Malle, who spoke through the coordinator of the skill acquisition programme, Manu Sa’ad, said the gesture to alleviate poverty.

He also cautioned beneficiaries against selling the pieces of equipment and encouraged them to use the starter packs as leverage to grow and expand.