Minister of labour and productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has disclosed that in realisation of SURE-P skills development and empowerment programme, the Technical Education and Training (TVET) Project of SURE-P have completed the rehabilitation of eight skills acquisition centres across the federation.
The minister made this revelation in Lagos State, during the twin-occasion marking the commissioning of the Federal Ministry of Land and Housing Training Centre, Yaba and the Federal Ministry of Works Training Centre/Central Workshop, Ijora, Lagos State recently.
He stated that, “For ease of implementation of the SURE-P TVET skills development and empowerment programme, a strategic plan was conceived to partner with government owned Technical and Vocational Education outfits with special focus on skills development.
Majority of the government training institutions intended to be used for the skills development of our youths were found to be inadequate both in physical structure and equipment content”.
He also added that, “The response to these gaps was for TVET to utilize some of the SURE-P funds allocated to it and embark on massive upgrading and expanding of government training centres for long term use and this exercise has yielded the right results”.
A statement made available by the Deputy director, Press of the Ministry quoted chief Wogu as saying that in addition to the success recorded by TVET in transforming Technical Vocational Training facilities nationwide, it also embarked on training of over 5000 beneficiaries who are presently undergoing training in various vocations such as ICT, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering for the Power Sector, Automotive Trades, Building and Construction Trades among others.
“Indeed, Mr. President, through the SURE-P programme has proven himself to be a man of his words as he has continued to re-invest the subsidy funds into projects that have positive impact on ordinary Nigerians.
“Today we are glad that Mr. President’s drive for mass employment would by this commissioning ceremony receive another boost,” the minister emphasized.
The Deputy Chairman of SURE-P, Mrs. Tanwa Olusi, who represented the Chairman, affirmed the commitment of the committee to providing appropriate training for the teeming unemployed and unskilled youths for self-reliance.
“For us in the SURE-P, it is obvious that the ability to continue to provide adequate and appropriate training for our unemployed youths is critical and some form of sustainability need to be put in place. Therefore, rehabilitating infrastructure such as the Training Centre, Ijora and the Ministry of Land Housing Training Centre, Yaba is to ensure availability of appropriate teaching and training facilities for the relevant organs of government to continue with the task of training our youths well into the future”. Mrs. Olusi noted.
Minister of Works, Arch Mike Onolememen in his remarks stated that the training to be acquired by Nigerians in the rehabilitated institutes will go a long way to reduce the nations’ over dependence on foreign technicians as skills acquired will be effectively deployed for national development.
