Tackling Insecurity through Youth Empowerment

Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that for Chairman House Committee on Defence, Mr Babajimi Benson, his recent move to empower 135 youths of his constituency at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre was targeted at reducing the insecurity index in the country

To reduce the insecurity index bedeviling the country, the Chairman House Committee on Defence, Mr. Babajimi Benson has towed the path of empowering youths with the prerequisite skills for self sustenance in future. 
Through his iCare Foundation, he sponsored the third batch of 135 beneficiaries on Skill Acquisition Training at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC).

The iCare Foundation initiative was founded by Benson in 2019 for the purpose of empowering youths with skills in order to tackle the increasing rate of unemployment in the country.
In this batch, the 135 youths benefitted from skills such as photography, cosmetics and soap making, baking and confectionary, paint production, car spraying and agriculture.
The chairman, who was also the guest of honour, said the programme lasted for two weeks and was totally free, adding that “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 skill acquisition powered by the NAFRC in conjunction with the iCare Foundation.
“The tight schedule of your training is aimed at making you gain considerably within the short period earmarked for your training”.
In his charge, he said the participants should think of new ways to tackle the problem 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 said.

The chairman further adviced the graduands to be mindful of criminal elements in the society who were only interested in milking their limited resources.
“I, therefore, urge you all to be bold, courageous, focus, financially disciplined and above all, beware of these criminals in all your business engagements.It is our expectation that you will continue to bring positive feedback as you exploit the numerous entrepreneurial space for the future of our dear nation. 

“In fact, it is our hope that the gap between skills requirements and the labour market needs will no longer be an issue in our dear country,” he said.

Stressing that he was pleased that NAFRC has continued to deliver on its mandate of providing skill acquisition training to discharging personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the civil populace, he said arrangements should also be made whereby civil servants leaving office too can be trained in 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 on 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.

Also speaking, Lubo who was represented by the centre’s Deputy Commandant, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, attributed the successes of the centre to the laudable visions and dedication of past commandants.
The AVM also said the support of President Muhammadu Buhari enabled the centre to be able to offer such trainings to retired armed forces personnel and the civil society.
He said: “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 advice them to remain good ambassadors of the centre to their communities”.
The highlight of the event was the award of Overall Best Participant to Ms Kofoworola Anifowoshe and Mr. Mohammed Ogunbiyi, who was awarded the Commandant’s Award while the Best Female Participant went to Mrs. Afusat Omotosho.