The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has declared that majority of Nigerian youths lack digital skills, and as a result, remain unemployable.
Dare said the new economic trend around the world has made youths the most vibrant factor of production, adding that with 67millions youths in Nigeria, the country has a high degree of potential for economic prosperity.
He opined that like many advanced economies, there is an urgent need for massive investment in the youths to engender speedy economic advancement.
The Minister made this known at an Economic and Investment Summit organised in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State with the theme:” Pathway To Economic Growth And Prosperity For The State Of Osun”.
He posited that: ” An investment in the youths will bring about gains today and not tomorrow.”
The Minister also advocated for mechanised farming to guarantee food security, as well as injecting technology into vocational training to build virile human capital among the youths.
Also speaking, another member of the panel, Dr Wale Babalakin, made a case for private/ public sector -driven development agenda, a situation where private sector drive of doing business would be brought to bear in the development plan and policy implementation.
He argued that governments in emerging economies of Africa lack necessary financial muscles to adequately provide infrastructure and embark on other capital -intensive projects, including education, hence, the need for synergy with private investors.
Speaking further on the tenets of Public Private Partnership, Babalakin advised the government of Osun to negotiate development projects with private partners with “cerebral inputs ” for optimal benefit .
He said : “Investment needs cerebral inputs during negotiations, because cash without intellectual inputs is nothing”.
