By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Chinese Chamber of General Commerce, CCGC, and the City Regional Development Initiative in collaboration with Eagle Eye Media yesterday flagged off the enrollment of Youths vocational skills trainings in the Abuja and ground breaking ceremony of construction of vocational training center for Youths in the FCT.
AMAC Chairman, Christopher Zakka Maikalangu who officially flagged off the ceremony in Abuja commended the Chinese Company and the CRDI for coming up with such empowerment programme that will bring succour to the teeming unemployed Youths in AMAC and in the Territory.
The Chairman who was represented by the Deputy Speaker of AMAC, Hon. Tony Onoja said, ” I also commend the collaborated effort aimed at providing a standard vocational centre for the teeming unemployed Youths in the FCT, this is far fetched from the fact that resources at government’s disposal especially for us at the Local Government Area cannot cater for all the infrastructural and social needs of our people especially at the grassroots. ”
” This event is an eye opener and one of the biggest challenges that we have as a country , a government is the high level of Youths unemployment in the country. ”
“We have witnessed the attendant social dislocation which Youths unemployment has brought to the society which range from crime, restiveness most of which have become tools if distabilization and insecurity across the country.”
As a Council we commend this effort and vision of CRDI for demeaning it fit to contribute it’s quota by providing a platform for our Youths to aquire vocational skills to enable them not only to become employable but also become employers of labour, he noted.
The AMAC Chairman further called on good spirited Nigerians and Multinational corporations operating in Nigeria to emulate CRDI and Greenlife Foundation for bringing succour to the teeming unemployed graduates in Nigerian.
FCT Coordinator of CRDI , Princess Joy Osaji, said that the youth empowerment project was born out of the zeal for social emancipation and vision for a better and sustainable society devoid of social vices, criminalities and unemployment in the country.
She noted that the CRDI’s mandate is to alleviate urban and rural poverty by equipping the over 60% Nigerian Youth with relevant skills that would make them employable, self employed and employers of labour.
Civil Society advocate, Ikechukwu Durumba speaking on the perspectives in youth unemployment and Insecurity in Nigeria said, “we must collectively seek solutions which can get out youths gainfully employed. One major solution is the acquisition of vocational skills to equip the youth with the necessary technical knowledge-how required for decent survival in a competitive 21st century. ”
Durumba commended the Cities and Regional Development Initiative (CRDI) for the construction of a vocational training center for youth in Abuja.
The Chinese represented Mr Austeen Fortune of China Company Harbour said, ” we intend to train about 200 Youths in the first batch of the vocational training which is an ongoing project in Abuja many of which would be employed.
He further disclosed that China is investing about $500,000 in the construction of the center.
A participant, Mrs. Emen Wilfred who wished to learn fashion designing appreciated the gesture and was promised to also train others.
Wilfred said, ” l want to learn fashion designing after which I would have apprentices because this is what I have always desired.
