The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured that his administration will continue to provide opportunities for youths in the state to gain in-demand skills to eke out decent livelihoods for themselves, as part of his promise to create 200,000 and raise an army of highly skilled workforce who can proffer technology-based solutions to societal challenges.

The governor gave the assurance in commemoration of the World Youth Skills Day celebrated every July 15 by the United Nations across the globe.

He said, “As part of plans to ensure sustainable growth and in keeping to our promise to create 200,000 jobs for unemployed youths, we will continue to expand the space for more youths to gain practical skills that will make them self-reliant and provide sources of decent livelihoods for themselves and their households.”

“In line with these, we are redesigning our educational curriculum to give priority attention to technical and vocational education as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT),” he added.

Obaseki noted, “My administration will not relent in empowering Edo youth with in-demand skills and make the state attractive for investors requiring skilled labour.

“Today, more youths in the state are benefitting from our huge investment in the Edo Innovation Hub, Edo Production Centre, and other skill-based programmes rolled out by EdoJobs, even as we strive to replicate these innovative solutions in addressing unemployment among youths in other parts of the state, outside the state capital.”

He said that the ongoing reconstruction of the Benin Science and Technical College (BSTC) which is nearing completion, will serve as grooming ground and a hub for training tech-based solution providers.

“The goal of my administration is to ensure that we empower and equip the youth with the capacity to create jobs and grow their enterprises to any height they desire and contribute significantly to the state’s economic growth and development,” he added.

According to the United Nations, “Young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and continuously exposed to lower quality of jobs, greater labor market inequalities, and longer and more insecure school-to-work transitions.

To raise awareness on the importance of investing in youth skills development, “the United Nations General Assembly decided in resolution A/RES/69/145 to designate 15 July as World Youth Skills Day.” (The Nation)

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