FG, Taraba Sign MoU on Vocational Training Centre for Youths

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Federal government and Taraba State government on Wednesday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for  Operationalisation of the Skill and Vocational Training Centre located in Ibi, Headquarters of Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba state.

Speaking during the brief ceremony at his conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, the Minister, Rt. Hon Simon Lalong, said it was part of the efforts being put in place to create Jobs and reduce poverty in the country by the present administration.

While commending the Taraba state government for taking a bold step to pursue the job creation initiative through skill acquisition, Lalong said that skill acquisition is a very vital aspect of job creation.

He urged other states to emulate  what Taraba state has done. Lalong said: “There is nothing as important as skill acquisition because people will make use of it even when they have certificate to become employers of labour.”

 He said that one of the first things that attracted his attention on assumption of is the signing of the MoU on the skill acquisition centre.

The minister assured the people of   Taraba state of the continued support of his ministry whenever the need arises. He also charged the state not only to sustain their current drive on skill training but to improve in the employment initiatives.

He said that President Bola Tinubu has made it clear to his Ministerial team that he wants to take many of the unemployed youths off the street to a gainful employment.

Taraba state Commissioner for Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation , Mr. James Philips, who signed the document on behalf of the state government, said that skill training is key in job creation and poverty reduction especially in Taraba State.

He said that the target of the state is to train at least 5,000 skilled youths and women at the centre in the next three years.

“We have put in place proactive measures and effective monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms to ensure the smooth running of the centre: our target is to train at least 5,000 skilled youths and women in the Centre in the next three years,” he said.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said that the collaborative venture with the Taraba state government on skill training is in line with the new thinking of the Tinubu-led administration to drive initiatives that will take our youths out of the streets.

This is one of our key mission, to create employment opportunities for our teaming youths and Nigerians and I will enjoin other states to join hands with the federal government to achieve this goal,” she said.

Earlier while explaining details of the MoU, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary at  Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment,  Mrs Juliana  Adebambo said the aim of the initiative is to “curb the unemployment menace and youth restiveness in the country through the establishment of Skills Centres in mostly rural areas nationwide and to encourage the acceptance of Blue-Collar Jobs as against the insistence on white-collar jobs that is highly favored by the youths.”

According to her, the signing of this MOU couldn’t have come at a better time than now as wanton restiveness among the youths especially in that part of the North Eastern: region of the Country has become worrisome.

“So far, the Borno State Government has completed the same process, as the Skills Centre in Konduga is fully operational and being by the State Government. Furthermore Kano. Kaduna and Edo State Governments have equally shown interest in going into this type of agreement with the Ministry,” she said.