Education: Kogi to Train, Empower Over 250 Youths at Nigeria Korea Friendship Institute »

….set to commence training in CNG Conversion, and other innovative skills, under the Ododo Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition (OYESA) program.

Kogi state governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has unveiled and launched the Ododo Youth Empowerment and Skill Acquisition Programme (OYESA) hinting that the program is in furtherance of his government commitment to youth empowerment and self sufficiency. The governor added that the program would commence as soon as his administration tidied up modalities with our proposed partner, the Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute (NKFI).

Governor Ododo who made this known during his Independence Day broadcast noted that this flagship initiative would provide over 250 youths from all 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State with cutting-edge training in critical areas such as CNG conversion, welding and fabrication, automobile mechatronics, solar system installation, and others.

He said “The rationale is human capital development and the aim is to equip our youths with the skills needed to thrive in today’s economy, especially as Nigeria transitions to cleaner energy under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Beneficiaries will receive stipends, accommodation, starter packs, and business registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission to support their entrepreneurial journeys. This program is a vital step in reducing unemployment, addressing youth restiveness, and preparing our young people for meaningful contributions to society”.

He mentioned that the foregoing achievements and many more still in the pipeline only confirmed that foundations are important attesting that the difficult reforms undertaken by his predecessor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, during his 8 years in Office, and the systems he set up, put his administration on a strong footing for the accelerated progress being experienced. “He fought battles and planted seeds while governing this state that are only just now bearing fruit. We cannot commend and appreciate him enough” he added.

The governor stressed that as the state moved towards an era of accelerated development, his administration firmly remained committed to consolidation and continuity of the gains that it inherited. He alluded that his government would be working even more diligently in the months and years ahead to do more.

He canvassed for the support and cooperation of every citizen and stakeholders in the state, in a bid to build a state that is safe, prosperous, inclusive, and works for all.

The Commissioner for Special Duty and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Sunday Faleke earlier during a meeting with top management of the Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute, noted that the governor’s gracious approval of the program was hinged on his stern desire to empower the youths in areas of skills and vocation that would give them a better chance at self sufficiency adding that the institution would work together with government under the Ministry to ensure the success of the program.

The Commissioner said the governor had made commitment to efficiently utilise the institution for the benefit of the youth and the purpose meant for adding that through the Ododo Youth empowerment and skill acquisition (OYESA) program many vulnerable youths would be trained, empowered and equipped.

While the Commissioner stressed that topmost among the training programme would be CNG conversion which he hinted has become a necessary and timely skill for the youths owing to the current advocacy and transition spearheaded by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from petrol consumption to CNG (compressed Natural gas). He added that other skills included Welding and Fabrication, Plumbing and fittings, Automobile Mechatronics, CCTV camera installation, Electrical Installations and repairs, Photography and cinematography, Computer hardware and networking, Solar System Installation.

The Commissioner added that government has designed a robust selection modality for the beneficiaries, adding that government plan to offer stipends and accommodation to students to ensure that they were consistent all through the learning stage of the programme. He added that upon conclusion they would be given starter parks in their respective skill sets as well as their businesses registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Responding to the announcement, the Rector, Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute, Dr. Williams Charles Oluwatoyin, expressed gratitude to the state government for the approval of such a robust and potentially impactful skill acquit ion program of the youth through the institution expressing the readiness of NKFI to provide the needed service to ensure the utmost success of the program.

He thanked the respective stakeholders involved and noted that the approved Ododo Youth Empowerment and Skills Aquisition Programme (OYESA) would achieve aims and objectives including an end to unemployment in the state by training youths with set skills that are well sougthed after worldwide. He also added that the programme desired to leverage on the availability of industries like the Ajaokuta steel industry, Obajana Cement factory and prepare a ready and competent workforce of Kogi state extraction.