Gov Ahmed canvasses aggressive youth employment programmes

Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has advised community based
socio cultural groups, the private sector, political Organisations and
governments at all levels to aggressively promote youth empowerment in
order to avert youth restiveness in the society.

Governor Ahmed gave the charge in a message to the Igbomina Summit
organized by the Omo Ibile Igbomina, at the weekend at Ganmo, Ifelodun
local government area of the State.

The Governor observed that youth unemployment was a social malaise
confronting Nigeria and other countries around the world with its
attendant insecurity problems.

He ,therefore ,urged governments and other stakeholders to implement
programmes that would not only get more youths into employment but
also give them access to acquisition of professional and political
experience for effective leadership in future.

According to him, "we cannot claim youth lack the experience for
effective leadership without providing them with the opportunity to
acquire and demonstrate such capacity in our public and private
lives".

Governor Ahmed noted that it was in that light that his administration
evolved a youth entrepreneurship programme that enabled youths to
access opportunities to start or grow their small business.

He added that youth friendly programmes of his administration included
the establishment of the International Vocational Centre, Ajasse-Ipo
designed to offer it's graduands  business relevant skills and City
and Guilds of London Certification to make them employable locally,
nationally and internationally.

The Governor further stated that his administration has identified 60
Skill Acquisition Centre and 23 Master Trainers as another platform of
promoting youth employment in the State as only a small proportion of
school leavers make it to tertiary education level.

The Governor also recalled that the State government recently flagged
off the distribution of N100million Revolving Micro Credit Scheme for
newly formed Kwara State Artisan Congress with a standardized 47
groups format.