Ogun Lawmaker, Musefiu Sponsors Youth On Vocational Training To Address Unemployment

The Deputy Minority Leader, Ogun State House of Assembly and member representing, Ado-Odo/Ota II State Constituency, Hon. Lamidi Musefiu has begun sponsorship programmes for some members of his constituency on vocational training to be self-sufficient to stem poverty and address unemployment.

Hon. Musefiu, who is equally the Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti Corruption, described the learning of vocational skills and training rather than waiting for almost non- existent  white collar job as a major panacea towards addressing youth unemployment in the society.

According to the lawmaker, who spoke shortly after rejoicing with the first set of graduands he sponsored on a year vocational training programmes at the Peter Akinola Foundation (PAAF) in Abeokuta, remarked that the need of man had always created a ready market for technical skills to thrive as a means for self-sustainability. 

The lawmaker noted that his decision to sponsor the first set of two graduands for the programme with a tuition fee and other expenses to the tune of about N300, 000 each per trainee, was borne out of his vision to reduce poverty and create means of livelihood amongst his constituents, especially the youth.

He  noted that for the nation to stem the menace of crimes and criminality caused by idleness, there was need for meaningful engagement of youth, thereby creating attitudinal change and adding positive value to the society at large. 

Assuring that he remained committed to ensuring that the sponsorship and other intervention initiatives get to all the  eight wards in his constituency within the next three years to  promote youth development, Hon. Musefiu disclosed that another 14 artisans had also been certified through a 2-week intensive training organised in partnership with GIZ to avail them with modern trends and methods in their respective vocations with requisite certificate. 

Reeling out projects personally carried out in recent time by him in his constituency in spite of the yet to be released constituency Project fund by government, the lawmaker  who was a former Chairman, Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Council, noted that he had put in place for the benefit of his constituents, boreholes, construction of culvert and channeling of waterways to address water erosion, assuring that scholarships would be given to 20 indigent students to study in higher institution in the coming academic season.

He also promised that another set of twenty constituents across the eight wards would benefit from the intensive training next year.

In their remarks, the graduands, who were the beneficiaries of the one year programme, Tiamuyu Soliu and Alade Ibrahim, said they had vocational training in Metal Fabrication and Electrical/electronics, appreciating the lawmaker for sponsoring them for the training alongside provision of logistics all through the programme, noting that the opportunity had changed their orientation through practical and theoretical trainings that would make them self-sufficient and employers of labour. 

They noted that such initiatives, if imbibed by other political leaders and well meanings individuals, would reduce the high rate of unemployment in the nation, thereby improving the socio-economic status of the people especially, the youth.