World youth skills day: Stakeholders harp on skills acquisition

By John Oba Abuja

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the 2017 UN World Youth Skills Day, stakeholders has called on youth to give attention to skills acquisition. Speaking at the weekend to mark the day in Abuja, former President, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Engr. Wale Ajani, said lack of basic and applicable skills had been one of the major challenges facing youth in the nation. Th is according to him, has given a huge rise to the already alarmed rate of unemployment in the country. Wale, who is also the founder anywork24/7.ng website launched during the event with the theme: “One Youth One Skill: Better Life”, noted that adequate skill was the only way out of poverty, as no employer was ready to engage anyone that is not skillful.

“Skill is very critical and it is the only way out of poverty. For us to live a sustainable life as young people, you must have adequate skills, nobody is ready to engage anyone that is not skillful”, he said. Representative of the Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr. Luka Jonathan, stressed that lack of synergy and data had been a problem aff ecting youth development in the country. “Youths empowerment is a multi-faceted issue that needs to be addressed from a muitisectorial approach. What is lacking in youth development is synergy between various arms of government, individual and groups,” he said.

 

Leave a Reply