By Goodluck Ikiebe
In line with the United Nations General Assembly Declaration on the Celebration of the World Youth Skills Day, the Federal Government has commemorated the Day with a charge to the Nigerian Youths to look inwards, identify their aspirations, dreams, talents and potentials with a view to putting them into positive use for socio-economic development of the country.
In a keynote address at the occasion on Fiday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, stated that the youths are the greatest assets any nation can have and thus legitimately regarded as the future leaders, who are potentially the highest investment of a country’s socio-economic, political and technological development.
Alhaji Ismaila, however, observed that the number of youths, who are unemployed or exposed to lower quality level work is of great concern to the government.
He explained that this year’s Commemoration with the theme: *Skilling Teachers, Trainers and Youth for a Transformative future* is apt as it is set to bring in the required synergy among all job and employment creators, with a view to increasing enthusiasm for skills acquisition and entrepreneurship among the youths aimed at taking them off the streets.
The Permanent Secretary assured of the Ministry’s unreserved commitment to full implementation of the core mandate of youth development policies in line with the policy thrust of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration through its numerous skill acquisition programmes.
Alhaji Ismaila explained that this has been exhibited through various investment and intervention programmes and thereby urged the youths to reciprocate by putting their talents into positive use.
While calling on well meaning Nigerians, development partners, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as well as relevant stakeholders to continue to partner and collaborate with the Federal Government, not only in the area of identifying and catering for the youth but also empowering them in their various fields of endeavour, Alhaji Ismaila urged them to be committed to youth skills development through the creation of various platforms to showcase their talents, skills and connectivity so as to promote national development.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion Department, (EDPD), Mr Olugbenga Momoh,
assured of the youth’s readiness and commitment
to equip themselves with relevant ICT skills in order to explore job and employment opportunities in the technological-driven economy of the world so as to become relevant in the work of the future.
He commended all the partners for their support and the present administration in particular for the commitment towards the successful implementation of youth programmes, adding that it is a clear demonstration of all to one of the potential strategies at reducing the rate of Youth unemployment, poverty and restiveness, especially among the youths and the attendant vices plaguing the nation.
Highlights of the occasion include the presentation of goodwill messages by Development Partners, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), as well as relevant stakeholders.
