The Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has urged the youths to avail themselves the opportunity provided by the Information Community Technology (ICT) with present statistical records of over 199 million subscribers to various networks of Global System of Mobile Telecommunication (GSM) nationwide.
NCDMB disclosed that it has trained over 4000 youths nationwide in various vocations in addition to 500 youths from Oyo State that were recently trained in GSM repairs in the state.
Speaking at the presentation of starters packs and certificates to the newly trained youths that were drawn from 33 local government areas of Oyo State, the General Manager of Research Statistics and Development, Mr Abdulmalik Halilu, said the programme is aimed at empowering the youths nationwide, as well as depopulate already polarized labour market.
Halilu disclosed this at the presentation of certificates and starter packs to 500 youths drawn from 33 local government areas of Oyo state in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Halilu stated that NCDMB was established amongst other things to create jobs and position the youths for future challenges
He commended the efforts of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Teslim Folarin for facilitating the programme, saying it would go a long way in addressing rising cases of restiveness and unemployment among youths in the country.
He hinted that the geometric increase in number of GSM subscribers would open the door of opportunities for youthful entrepreneurs if properly utilized.
Halilu stated that the training has afforded the trainees the opportunity to develop their own Apps in addition to the existing 218 billion Apps developed as of 2022.
He, therefore, enjoined the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity that the training has afforded them.
In his remarks, Sen. Folarin disclosed that he has facilitated many programmes that are of benefit to the youths
He added that in the past three years as a member of the red chamber of the National Assembly, he has lifted no fewer than 10,500 youths across the state out of poverty through various intervention and empowerment programmes.
He noted that the interventions have been made easy, courtesy of the Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies most especially the NCDMB led by Engr. Simbi Wabote.
He lamented that government jobs are scarce, hence the need for youths to utilised skills and competencies acquired to uplift themselves, families and also contribute to the economic growth of the state.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content maintained that the current graduating 500 youths are significant additions to the already empowered 10000 youths in the state who have been trained in Modern Agricultural Techniques, ICT Skills Acquisition, Digital Literacy and Entrepreneurship.
He said the 500 beneficiary youths that are graduating underwent four weeks of intensive training at Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan; LAUTECH Ogbomoso and Atiba University, Oyo. And also spent another four weeks of practicals at selected phone repair workshops.
“Let me quickly highlight some of my interventions on youth and women empowerment, between 2019 and today, I’ve facilitated the establishment of a multi-billion naira state-of-the-art University of Ibadan Vocational School on Oil and Gas; N200 million worth of empowerment for youths and women including People With Special Needs; N132million for 200 youths through National Youth Volunteer Programme; N10.5Million TKF Business Empowerment Scheme; N25million FG COVID-19 Loans for 20 constituents; N5m COVID-19 Relief for young teachers, N4million for 200 vulnerable women through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and many other personal interventions too numerous to mention.”
“Today’s graduation ceremony is a milestone in your lives as it marks the end of a formal knowledge and skills acquisition phase of your development and launches you into an opportunity phase where you will seek to exploit your new knowledge and skills to make a difference in the world around you. You can look back with pride at your learning journey and hold your heads up in acknowledgement of your achievements.”
“With what we have packaged for each of you, you are out of poverty and joblessness. The package includes phone repair toolbox, stipend of N130,000 for each graduate, fully paid workshop for each graduate, and registration with SMEDAN for SMEs Loans and other opportunities. Besides, 100 best graduates are to be given fully installed laptops with Phone Repairs Software.”
He, however, said 2023 is another opportunity for the people to vote out the self-serving administration in the State, saying the incoming APC administration under his watch would move the state forward for growth and development.
Dignitaries at the event include former deputy governor of the state, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, Barr. Sharafadeen Ali, Engr. Akeem Alao, Dr Yunuf Akintunde, Prince Niran Adeyoku and APC leader among others.
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