By Oladapo Udom
The Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Defence, Mr Babajimi Benson, says that empowering youths with the prerequisite skills for self sustenance in future, is key to reducing the insecurity index in the country.
Benson said this on Friday at the third graduation ceremony on “Skill Acquisition Training“, in conjunction with the ICARE FOUNDATION initiative, held at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi in Lagos State.
The ICARE FOUNDATION initiative was founded by Benson in 2019 for the purpose of empowering youths with skills so as to tackle the increasing rate of unemployment in the country.
NAN reports that 135 youths benefited from the programme that ranges from photography, cosmetics and soap making, baking and confectionery, paint production, car spraying to agriculture.
The house chairman, who was also the Guest of Honour at the event, said that the free programme which lasted two weeks and was an impactful one.
“Today, you have achieved an important breakthrough in your quest to be fruitful and productive in support of national development.
“Today’s graduation ceremony is important to me as it marks the third graduation ceremony on skills’ acquisition powered by the NAFRC in conjunction with the ICARE FOUNDATION, ” he said.
Benson, therefore, tasked the participants to use the opportunity to think of new ways to tackle problems of unemployment and lack of jobs caused by the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The skill acquisition training is to position you to remain relevant and stand competitive in the open market.
“Therefore, you must all keep in mind the aim of the training you have acquired and continue to develop your entrepreneurial skills to fully optimise the knowledge gained,” he advised.
The chairman advised the graduands to be mindful of criminal elements in the society who were only interested in milking their limited resources.
He also commended NAFRC`s management for its continued efforts to deliver on its mandate of providing skill acquisition training to discharging personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the civil populace.
Benson, who commended the NAFRC Commandant, AVM Idi Lubo, advised that such arrangements should also be made, whereby civil servants who were leaving office could be engaged in the same skills for self sustenance in future.
“Today’s graduation ceremony offers an opportunity for me to publicly thank NAFRC Commandant, AVM Idi Lubo of this noble Centre, for empowering those placed under his charge.
“Indeed, there is no better way of discharging the centre’s Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) than engaging our youths in skill-acquisition training in order to make them live a fulfilling life.
“I sincerely urge the Commandant to continue these laudable initiatives in partnership with ICARE FOUNDATION to reduce the alarming number of unskilled persons in the nation,” Benson said.
Speaking, AVM Lubo, who was represented by the centr’es Deputy Commandant, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, attributed the successes of the NAFRC to the laudable visions and dedication of past Commandants of the centre.
According to Lubo, the support of President Muhammadu Buhari has enabled the centre to be able to offer such trainings to retired armed forces personnel and the civil society.
“NAFRC will continue to exploit ways to enhance the process of teaching and learning at the centre to produce better citizens for the development of a greater nation.
“To optimise this objective, we have focused on enhancing the extant processes at improving the centres` physical and social infrastructural systems.
“I congratulate the graduating participants and also advise them to remain good ambassadors of the centre in their communities,” Lubo said.
NAN reports that Ms Kofoworola Anifowoshe was given the Overall Best Participant; Mr Mohammed Ogunbiyi won the Commandant’s Award, while the Best Female participant went to Mrs Afusat Omotosho. (NAN)
