Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said that his administration will focus on strengthening technical and vocational training as part of efforts to address unemployment in the state.
Abiodun who stated this when he received the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, in his office, at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Saturday, said unemployment had become an issue that needed urgent attention to avoid its repercussions.
The governor noted that not every university graduate would desire to work for someone else, hence the need for technical training.
He said, “We have the highest number of educational institutions in Nigeria and that in itself presents another set of problems. When you are graduating so many students every year and if they are idle, you have a problem and you need to begin to think ahead.
“To that extent, one of our focuses in the next four years is to strengthen our technical and vocational training believing that it is not everyone who has gone to the university would want to work for someone.
“We will match university education with technical training and proper apprenticeship like we saw when I went with Mr President to India where apprenticeship is properly structured and those under training are paid not like here where you are learning a trade without being paid.
“There, they are properly trained, paid and certified so that when they leave, they are also provided with facility like loan that allows them to start up their trade and that account for the biggest backbone of their Small and Medium Scale Enterprise.”
The governor said his government had pioneered a Special Agro-Cargo Processing Zone that could provide employment opportunities to between 30,000- 40,000 people and has also created industrial clusters in Remo, Ijebu-Ode and Magboro, just as a Dry Port is in the offing.
“We also have the Agbara industrial cluster which is the biggest industrial hub in sub-Saharan Africa and this has earned us the position of being the industrial capital of Nigeria. We are partnering with others to bring the much-needed socio-economic development to our people,” he added.
The governor said his administration’s vision when he assumed office was fashioned on creating an enabling environment, using the Public Private Partnership to engender state and individual prosperity, emphasising that critical sectors of the economy like good roads, power, educational and healthcare facilities as well as housing, have been provided.
He congratulated Mrs Madein for her appointment saying, “I must say that we are proud of you. Your antecedent preceded you. Your appointment was clearly by merit.
Speaking earlier, Madein, lauded the present administration for its efforts at attracting more investors into the state, noting with delight the giant strides the State is making in the area of industrialization.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has reiterated its resolve to ensure that digital technology is adopted to drive its various developmental agenda by opening a pathway for youthful technological talents discovery, nurture and empower them.
Governor Abiodun said this was necessary in order to place the state on a global map of unmatched innovations and technological advancement.
Abiodun stressed this while declaring open the 2023 tech summit, tagged ‘Disruptive Innovation: Digital Technology for Shaping the Future.
The two-day event held at June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, the state capital, was well attended by technology experts, disruptors, creators, innovators, start ups, organisations and tech enthusiasts.
Represented by the Special Adviser on ICT, Dayo Abiodun, the governor disclosed that Ogun State had embraced Information Technology through the creation of Ogun TechHub that had helped to identify the best brains in ICT and a platform to harness youths’ IT knowledge.
