…Skill Acquisition Critical To Nigeria Being World’s Next Economic Success Story
Lagos state government has urged citizens to keep demanding accountability from them, as their input subjects them to work hard for the state’s development.
They reiterated that job opportunities and skill acquisition are crucial to making Nigeria become world’s next economic success story. Adding that the state needs to figure out creative and innovative ways to train its youths for the future world of work.
This was said at the launch of the state’s first Demographic Dividend Roadmap and Estimation Profile, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Access Corporation and HACEY.
They noted that despite the increasing population, the project seeks to recognise and amplify viable opportunities in population growth, investment, employment, governance, skill development and migration.
Special Adviser to the Governor, Economic Planning and Budget, Aare Sodade, said the launch of the Lagos State Demographic Dividend Roadmap and Profile, which is in line with international best practices, would provide best operational management services in ensuring that human capital, growth and development are the focus of socio-economic plans, programs and project.
“The demographic dividend estimation profile is intended to identify the logical potential that can be harnessed by countries during a period of demographic transition. It is a long look through the window of opportunity and their use depends on several aspects like economic institutional condition of states, operations of the financial sector, family behavior amongst others.
“African leaders have already expressed willingness of their countries to carry out actions for the realisation of the demographic dividend. Thus, Nigeria has commenced the process of reaping its economic potential with the development of roadmaps that will assist in realisation of the demographic dividend,” Sodade said.
According to him, the launch of the demographic roadmap is expected to herald a new beginning in terms of population management and control through the identification and promotion of demographic dividend in Lagos state and Nigeria as a whole”.
Head, Sustainability, Access Bank, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, stressed on the importance of data to harness demographic dividend for Lagos residents and Nigerians.
“This launch is a great step in the right direction both from the public and private sector. This will help us to improve on how we can channel our resources towards the development and also solve the migration crisis and I think that if we can invest better, then we can attract talents into our country and not the other way round”, she said.
Also speaking, Executive Director, HACEY Health Initiative, Rhoda Robinson, noted that HACEY, who has spent over 15 years working actively in the development space, worked on the roadmap project to ensure that the underserved population, especially women and young people are partakers of development.
“We see Lagos state taking a lead in this arena and championing that cause and for us at HACEY, we will continue to collaborate with the Lagos state government and other stakeholders to ensure Nigeria gets to achieve its full potential in the demographic space”, Robinson said.
