UK firm, church partner to tackle youth unemployment

The Nigerian Baptist Convention and a United Kingdom consortium, AHEAD Strategies, have concluded arrangements for a practical intervention with a view to reducing the high rate of youth unemployment in the country.

Unfolding this to journalists at the Nigerian Baptist Convention headquarters in Ibadan yesterday, the Director, Youth and Students Ministries of the Convention, Rev Samuel Olaleye disclosed that, under the arrangement, a two-day workshop on gainful employment strategy will be organized for about 2,000 youths drawn from different parts of the country, who have already converged on Bowen University, Iwo.

The theme of the workshop, he said, is “The Practical Intervention for Solving Youth Unemployment”.

While lamenting that that the teeming youth unemployment in the country is of great concern for the church, he remarked that the church cannot keep quiet and watch helplessly as the ugly trend continues.

“This is the reason why we have signed a three years Memorandum of Understanding with AHEAD Strategies to train our unemployed youths on how to secure a job and how to be self-employed. This workshop is open to everybody irrespective of their religion or tribe. We are expecting over 2,000 youths at the workshop,” Olaleye said.

Also speaking at the forum, the head of the team from the UK firm, Mr. Benjamin Taiwo assured that the workshop will enable youths to be exposed to job opportunities and how to meet up with their requirements.