The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare has called on youth in the country to identify their potentials and talents with a view to putting them into positive use for socio-economic development of the country.
The Minister made the call weekend, during the commemoration of the 2022 World Youth Skills Day held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
According to him, “I want to challenge you to look inwards, identify your aspirations, dreams, talents and potentials and put them into positive use for the betterment of our nation”
Represented by the Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion Department of the Ministry, Mr. Olugbenga Momoh, Dare observed that millions of youth worldwide are unemployed, uneducated and unengaged with the majority living in developing countries. This he said, has led to boredom and frustration as they are locked out of decision making processes as well as economic and life opportunities.
The Minister who explained that government has invested so much in youth development and empowerment urged them to bring forth their skills for the benefit of our dear country and reciprocate government’s gesture by shunning all negative tendencies and vices that tend to threaten their lives and society at large.
He said that this year’s theme, Transforming Youth Skills for the Future”, is designed to bring in the required synergy among all critical actors in job creation that will yield increased enthusiasm for skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development, among others in the country.
While acknowledging youth as one of the greatest assets of any nation, Dare called on all public spirited individuals, groups and existing partners to bring on board, multidisciplinary collaboration and team work in identifying and catering for the need of the skilled ones.
On our part, he said, “we shall continue to initiate and implement youth employment programmes and activities that will take our youth off the streets. They are potentially the greatest investment for a country’s socio-economic, political and technological development”
The Minister stated further that in response to the high rate of unemployment among the youth and in line with it’s core mandates, the Ministry in February – March, 2022 organised capacity building programme in Digital Skill acquisition, Sustainable Livelihood Skills Acquisition in various Agriculture and vocational skills for unemployed youth from thirty-six States of the Federation including the FCT.
He commended all stakeholders, Non-governmental Organizations, (NGOs), Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government as well as International Development Partners for their contribution towards the successful celebration of the day.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, stated that skills acquisition is very significant to the challenges of unemployment and underdevelopment.
Represented by the Deputy Director, Enterprise Division in the Ministry, Ngwaogu Michael, the Permanent Secretary stated that the turnout of heads of agencies, private sector, policy makers at the programme is a demonstration of stakeholders’ commitment to the reduction of youth unemployment, poverty, restiveness and the attendant vices plaguing
the Nigerian State.
He reassured that the Ministry and the present Administration in particular is determined to creating an enabling environment for the empowerment of the Nigerian youth so as to make them self employed and self reliant.
Signed
Mohammed Manga
Director (Press & Public Relations )
