The potential of the Nigerian youth will be fully realised through deliberate investment in education,skill development and empowerment.
It is therefore important that government,the private sector and development partners collaborate towards equipping the youth with the needed skills in modern workforce with a view to creating a resilient economy, stimulating innovation and fostering job creation.
The Ogun state Deputy Governor, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele stated these at the opening of the Youth Empowered Nigeria Workshop organised by the Nigeria Bottling Company(NBC) held this Monday at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
The Deputy Governor who identified unemployment, underemployment and critical gap in employability skills as the most pressing challenges facing the Nigerian youth, emphasised that as drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and social progress, the youth must be empowered to make remarkable impact in the society.
Reteirating the commitment of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration to tackling unemployment, Engineer Salako-Oyedele said initiatives such as the OgunTech Hub, Ogun Youth Empowerment Scheme and OgunCares are measures taken to address unemployment headlong and make the state the leading hub for youth-driven economic growth,lauding the Nigerian bottling Company for organising the skills programme for the students.
In a goodwill message, the MAPOLY Rector, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji noted that the Youth Empowered Nigeria Workshop will help bridge the existing employability skills gap,adding that the award of degrees and diplomas in the nation’s higher institutions of learning is no longer enough without vocational and digital skill acquisition.
In a remark, the Deputy Director-General, Ogun Investment promotion and facilitation agency,,Ms. Sola Arobieke commended NBC for taking interest in youth development and empowerment,saying the Youth Empowered Nigeria programme is in tandem with the vision of the current administration to make the youth self- reliant through various empowerment programmes.
In a welcome address, the NBC Execution Excellence Director, Mr. Ahmed Alao explained that over 50,000 youth have been empowered across the country through the programme, adding that empowering the youth is part of the corporate social responsibility and cornerstone of the mission of the bottling company.#
