The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, weekend said the federal government will train over seven million youth within the next two years.
He stated this when he played host to state Commissioners for Youth and Sports Development in his office at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, Nigeria.
The minister said the objective of the meeting was to have strong collaboration with commissioners from the 36 states of the federation in order to guarantee effective replication of federal government initiatives and programmes aimed at addressing the challenges confronting youth in the country.
“He emphasised the need to change the narrative through engagements with the youth from different states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and provision of the enabling environment to make them productive.
The minister also told the commissioners the need for cooperation in order to ensure seamless implementation of youth programmes and policies, most especially at the state and local government levels.
He disclosed plans by the federal government to deliver at least two skills to every Nigerian youth and consequently train over seven million youth within the next 2 years, using the platform of the about-to-be launched Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA).
“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President on access to capital, job creation, poverty reduction, food security, and inclusion, the ministry is working with the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), a digital platform to educate, empower and elevate millions of Nigerian youth in areas of capacity building, entrepreneurial support, mentorship and much more,” the minister said.
He added that the government will train inmates who are mostly the youth on skill acquisition, adding that the current administration believes that this approach would guarantee the reduction in the number of repeat offenders and also enhance the reintegration of the inmates who are predominantly youth into the society.
Speaking further about other activities of the ministry, the minister observed that the “youth engagement activities which already commenced in Borno state will continue so that at every point, there is always a platform for youth to offer their ideas and make inputs into government policies and programmes.
“We are equally working, exploring the prospects of establishing a ‘Green House’ in each local government area that will serve as a facility where unemployed young people at the local government level can go to access support and begin their journey towards a productive and gainful engagement.”
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