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The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed for the second reading a bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Skills Acquisition and Technology, Agulu, Anambra State.
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The sponsor of the bill, Senator Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra), said that acquiring technical and technological skills is crucial for the advancement and development of any nation.
In his lead debate, Umeh stated that establishing platforms for acquiring requisite skills through technical and technological education is a vital source of youth empowerment.
“This is a sure way of curtailing unemployment in the country,” he said.
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Umeh highlighted that Nigeria currently ranks among nations with very high levels of youth unemployment.
“We have millions of youths idling away without any visible means of livelihood, and this has significantly contributed to the high level of insecurity in the country. An idle mind is a devil’s workshop,” he remarked.
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He added that idle youths could be salvaged and empowered through technical skills acquisition, which would provide employment opportunities, especially in the construction industry, and enable them to become self-employed.
The bill proposes training programs in areas such as bricklaying, electrical installations, plastering, roofing, plumbing, painting, cooling systems, refrigeration, carpentry, steel fabrications, welding, ceiling POPs, iron bending, and fitting, among others.
“It is not in doubt that people with these skills are the backbone of the construction industry in any given nation. For example, in America and other developed countries, great emphasis is placed on skills acquisition among youths, particularly those not pursuing university degrees or diplomas in tertiary institutions,” he said.
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Umeh urged lawmakers to support the expeditious passage of the bill due to its far-reaching relevance to the socio-economic development of the country.
The bill, which received support from most lawmakers who contributed to the debate, was read for the second time.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano), who presided over the plenary, referred the bill to the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for further legislative input, with a directive to return it to plenary in four weeks.
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