Ogun to strengthen technical education, tackle unemployment — Abiodun

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said his administration will focus on strengthening technical and vocational training as part of efforts to address unemployment in the state.

Abiodun, who stated this when he received the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs. OluwatoyinMadein, in his office, in Abeokuta, said unemployment has become an issue that needed urgent attention.

He noted that not every university graduate would desire to work for someone else, hence, the need for technical training.

Strengthening the technical and vocational subsector of education, the governor was optimistic would create employment opportunities and bring down the crime rate, as there is a connection between unemployment, literacy and crimes.

He said: “We have the highest number of educational institutions in Nigeria and that in itself presents another set of problems. When you are graduating so many students every year and if they are idle, then you have a problem and you need to begin to think ahead.

“To that extent, one of our focuses in the next four years is to strengthen our technical and vocational training believing that it is not everyone who has gone to the university would want to work for someone.
“We will match that university education with technical training and proper apprenticeship like we saw when I went with the President to India, where apprenticeship is properly structured and those under training are paid not like here where you are learning a trade without being paid.

“There, they are properly trained, paid and certified so that when they leave, they are also provided with facility like loan that allows them to start up their trade and that account for the biggest backbone of their Small and Medium Scale Enterprise.”

The governor said his government has pioneered a Special Agro-Cargo Processing Zone that could provide employment opportunities to between 30,000- 40,000 people and has also created industrial clusters in Remo, Ijebu-Ode and Magboro, just as a Dry Port is in the offing.

“We also have the Agbara industrial cluster, which is the biggest industrial hub in sub-Saharan Africa and this has earned us the position of being the industrial capital of Nigeria. We are partnering with others to bring the much-needed socio-economic development to our people,” he added.

He congratulated Madein on her appointment, saying, “I must say that we are proud of you. Your antecedent preceded you. Your appointment was clearly by merit. You contested with several others and you emerged the best. You are a good ambassador of women folks because this job is not an exclusive job for women. It is a job that both men and women competed for.”

Speaking earlier, Madein lauded the present administration for its efforts at attracting more investors into the state, noting with delight the giant strides the state is making in the area of industrialisation.