Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Federal Government has been called upon to introduce skill acquisition programmes for the beneficiaries of the NPower scheme introduced by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as a part of efforts to bridge unemployment gap.
The Commissioner for Governor’s Office, Osun State, Mrs Latifat Giwa,
made the call in Ede, on Thursday in a chat with newsmen ahead of the 2019 Ede Day Celebration.
Giwa, who commended the Npower initiative for proffering solution to the youth unemployment challenge in the country to some extent, however, stressed that if the Federal Government integrated skill acquisition programmes into the scheme, it would help the beneficiaries to become job creators and self reliant instead of depending on the stipends they had been receiving through the scheme.
“It is better for them to be empowered with some skill acquisitions so that when they leave NPower, they can have something to fall back on.
She also advised the youths to be proactive by engaging themselves in skill acquisition and small scale businesses rather than looking for white kola jobs.
“If you are a manufacturer under a big or small scale, you are an employer and it’s better than looking for white kola job,” she noted.
Giwa described the Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria as one of the best alternatives to reduce unemployment.
She said the NPower as well as Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO), were remarkable schemes that must be propelled to the next level to engender continuity of purpose to address the unemployment saga.
She commended Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the recent offer of over N2 billion to 25,907 indigents and vulnerable citizens under the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO).
She said with the Public Workfare and Special Grant Transfer programme launched, Osun would have less criminals in the state.