The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced training of 540 youths in advanced business development skills in Cross River State. The Cross River State Coordinator of NDE, Mr. Gabriel Udam disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Calabar, the state capital at the end of a two-day advance business training programme for 180 youths selected from seven local government areas making up the Southern Senatorial District of the state. Udam explained that the 540 youths were part of the 774,000 beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s Special Public Works programme (ESPW), saying the essence of the training was to guide beneficiaries of the programme on how to utilise the loans received efficiently as entrepreneurs and future employers of labour. He said: “The idea behind this training as directed by the Director-General of NDE, Mr. Abubakar Fikpo, is to guide the ESPW beneficiaries, especially those, who have received funds on how to use their money for sustainable businesses.”