Gov Bello's aides to partner KOICA on skills acquisition, youth empowerment »

Concerned by the dearth of skills among youths in the state and as part of their commitment towards ensuring young citizens take full advantage of available avenues to improve themselves and become self reliant, aides to Kogi State Governor have restated their commitment to partnering the Nigeria-Korea Institute of Vocational Training and Advanced Technology in the state.

This was part of the discussions touched when the appointees, led by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Informal and Vocational Education, Hon Nanahauwa Yetunde Raji led her colleagues on a working visit to the institute.

According to the appointees, the essence of the visit could not be downplayed in view of their determination to assisting Governor Yahaya Bello towards achieving the lofty objectives of providing employment to the people of the state, especially its teeming young population.

They noted that the state could not continue like this as citizens must rise up and take ownership of the opportunities being created for them by government in order to make something meaningful of themselves.

The SSA, who applauded the current administration of Governor Yahaya Bello for its commitment towards making Kogi a vocational and technological hub for the country said they were prepared to help in achieving government set target for the state.

She noted that the state would not remain the same after the Governor quits the stage for National Assignment, saying it has been the passion of those working in Bello’s cabinet to contribute their own quota to making life better for the people of Kogi State.

Speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources, Hon. Yahaya Ade Ismail, his counterpart in charge of Job Creation, Hon Suleiman Danladi Aguye and the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Empowerment – Kogi West, Comrade Amodu Ibikunle Abubakar all stressed the need to nip the situation in the bud through massive employment creation.

They noted their resolve towards ensuring the institute gets necessary government attention to make it optimally functional for the state and its citizens.

Conducting the appointees round the school’s facilities, the Principal, Mr. Gabriel Okewu, had intimated them that the institute ranked one of the best in the country among similar interventions by the Korean Government but that its fortunes had nosedived in recent past.

He appealed to the appointees to make case for the institute so that it could assist the state government in addressing its vocational and technological needs and evolve innovative youths that would be self reliant and curb youth related vices.