Buhari seeks private support to solve challenges

The Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Hajiya Maryam Yalwaji Katagum, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has encouraged government agencies to engage in public-private partnerships in order to address challenges facing the country.

She spoke at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP) stakeholders dialogue forum and award ceremony.

“The change that we desire is for our youths to have a better standard of living by equipping them with requisite skills leading to a reduction in security challenges and social vices engaged in by unemployed youths.

“Over 90% of trained youths are immediately snapped up by industry for employment, while others set up on their own,” she said.

ITF Director General (DG), Joseph N. Ari, said a critical challenge facing Nigeria is the development of a competent workforce and sustained economic growth in the global economy.

He said as a way out of the impending national and global crises, quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is widely recognised as having an important role to play in tackling youth unemployment.

He also said the ITF-NECA project has contributed to the development of skilled manpower, reduction of unemployment, promotion of entrepreneurship and job creation.