The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, John Owan Enoh, has reiterated the commitment of the ministry to support youths with skills for entrepreneurship and employability.

The minister stated this during the third edition of the National Sewing Championship organised by the Ladi Memorial Foundation in conjunction with the Destiny Messengers Ministry International, which held in Abuja over the weekend.

The minister, who was represented by a director in the ministry, said the government will continue to support programmes that allow the youths to “showcase Nigeria’s rich heritage and contribute to the country’s development.”

In his remarks, the CEO of the Destiny Messengers Ministry International, Dr Pastor Israel Olajumoke, said he decided to partner with the Ladi Foundation to donate 54 brand new tailoring machines, because of his passion to help people overcome poverty.

“I have been there before; I came from poverty. My scripture told me that if I am blessed, I would be a blessing to others,” he said.

The executive director of the Ladi Memorial Foundation, Rosemary Ojochelemi Oshikoya, said the vision for the programme was to impart functional skills and build national unity in a two-week boot camp.

“Imagine children coming from Borno, and different parts of the country to the nation’s capital, not to debate religion or our differences like the languages, but to compete on skills, which are generic,” she said.

In his view, the vice chairman of the foundation, Engr Kashim Ali, advised the participants to take their training seriously to enable them to develop themselves by going back to school or building a successful business.