…urges State Governors to follow suit you
The Federal Government has commended Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu for placing youths at the centre of his various vocational and entrepreneurship skills development programmes, noting that those efforts were capable of reducing youth restiveness and unemployment related crimes in the country.
The Commendation was given recently in Lagos by the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non Formal Education, Professor Abba Abubakar Haladu during the Year 2020/2021 Lagos State Agency for Mass Education’s Vocational Graduation Ceremony for another batch of 119 newly graduated trainees of Odoragunsin and Addo Vocational Training Centres, held at St. Peters Primary School, Epe.
Represented at the event by a Director in the Commission, Mrs Kudirat Olufunke Lawal, Professor Haladu noted that engaging youths in vocational training and subsequently, financial empowerment is crucial to addressing youths restiveness and other social vices such as, kidnapping, raping, robbery and other anti social behaviours
” let commend Mr Babajide Olusola SANWO- OLU for a lot of reforms taking place in Lagos State, especially, his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment through vocational and entrepreneurship skills acquisition programmes, no doubt, laudable
initiatives like this and others are the reasons for the relative peace enjoyed in Lagos State today , I appeal to the governor to share this template with other States so that we can overcome the problem of insecurity, troubling our country” . he stated.
While assuring of the commission’s readiness to support the growth of Mass Literacy and Non Formal Education across the country, Professor Haladu urged other state governors to borrow a leaf from the Lagos State government by initiating similar programmes and policies that would put youths especially the unemployed at the centre of development for crime control.
The Executive Secretary while commending the State Government for its non discrimination in the selection process, added that Lagos is a Mini Nigeria, therefore of which its development strategy should be all inclusive in the overall interest of the country.
Governor Sanwolu in his keynote address, stated that youth empowerment is crucial to achieving success of his administration’s policy on Security and Governance, which he said was an important Pilar of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda
Represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab, Sanwo Olu expressed satisfaction at the high turn up of youths to learn one vocation or the other at the State’s Vocational Training Centres, noting that the huge turn out was an indication that the future of the country is still bright despite the present security and economic challenges
The Governor who disclosed that the State Government had approved immediate upgrading of all the Vocational Training Centres to the world class standard, hinted that plans were on ground to equip those centres with additional working tools to allow for expansion and more enrolment.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director, Lagos State Agency for Mass Education who is also the Chief host, Mrs Oluwakemi Kalesanwo, explained that a total of 703 graduated from various vocations in the 7 Vocational Centres across the State.
She explained that the State Givernment had commenced rehabilitation and construction of additional block of 6 class rooms at Odoragunshi Vocational Centre in line with the government policy on Security and Governance
In their goodwill messages, The Eze Ndigbo of Agbowa and Ikosi LCDA, Eze Christopher Udeoha and the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, West Africa Community Investment, Prince Wale Fosudo noted that the entrepreneurship skills development initiatives by the state government would go a long way to address the issue of unemployment, while crimes would reduce significantly in the country.
They Advised the graduates to be ready to give attention to details and perfect finishing while they must aim high to become a successful entrepreneurs
While thanking the State government on behalf of other trainees, a 63 year ICT graduate, Mr Okpala Emmanuel noted that the vocational training programme of the State Government apart from providing a means of livelyhood, , could also help aged people like himself to exercise, pass away time and rejuvenate while preventing mental retardneds .
The highlight of the event was the presentation of Vocational competency certificates to all the 119 newly graduated trainees.
Signed:
