By Salisu Sani-Idris
Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja, an NGO, on Friday organised skill acquisition training for Abuja indigenes as part of activities marking the UN World Youth Skills Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training which includes bag-making and fishery production, was facilitated by Mrs Victoria Odeyemi.
Odeyemi has been in the business of bag making for 17 years, in the nation’s capital.
In her speech, the President and founder of the foundation, Dr Jumai Ahmadu, said the objective of the World Youth Skills Day was to spread awareness about technical, vocational education training, and the development of other skills relevant to both local and global economies.
Represented by Mr Mohammed Isa, an official of the foundation, Mrs Ahmadu also explained that the day was set out to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
She identified youth unemployment as the most significant problem facing contemporary economies and societies in the world both developed and developing countries alike.
Ahmadu said that there had been an upward trend in the number of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) which climbed to 273 million in 2021 above the 259 million young people who were classified as NEET in 2016.
Ahmadu said that terms of percentage, the trend was slightly up from 21.7 per cent in 2015 to 22.4 per cent in 2020 which implied that the international target to reduce the NEET rate by 2020 would be missed.
She tasked the participants to eschew vices and focus on building their lives for better future, assuring that the foundation would provide them with experts in the field that would guide and make you become the best in the field.
Earlier, Odeyemi urged youths to create opportunities for themselves without looking for white collar jobs, adding that leather work was one of the most lucrative businesses in the world.
According to her, bag making business doesn’t require a lot of money to start and it can be carried out at the comfort of home.
Odeyemi, therefore, advised youths to acquire a skill as it would help them to be independent.
She commended the foundation for it tireless support on vocational training of young and old persons in the nation’s capital.
Also, one of the participants, Usman Abubabar from Utata communities in Abuja Municipal Area Council, said he hoped to use the skill acquired at the training as a source of living where he can earn income that will improve his life and that of his family. (NAN)
