Ganduje unveils APC’s enterprise-skills development programme for youths in Lagos
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje on Monday unveiled the party’s Enterprise -Skills Development Training (EDET) Programmes for youths in Lagos.
The five-day training programme was organised by the Progressives National Youth Wing and the Office of the APC National Youth Leader, Mr Dayo Israel in Ikeja, Lagos.
Ganduje, who was represented by the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Mr Emma Eneukwu, said that the programmes was to create a platform for learning, engagement, network and empowerment for youths to become productive.
Commending Israel’s passion about Nigerian young population, Ganduje said that the national youth leader had always been touched by the challenges facing the youths.
Emphasising important not skills acquisition, Ganduje lamented that the Nigerian school curriculum was mostly on theories and not focused on practical issues capable of making graduates self-reliant.
“We bring out graduates that are experts in theories, with no skills to take up entrepreneurship so as to contribute tangibly to the society.
“Most of them (youths) do not have skills to develop anything that is going to help in providing services to the society and the country.
“There is nothing we can do to get it right except we change the curriculum. It has to be changed so that right while school young people are equipped to self reliant.
“We must keep producing people who are productive to themselves and to the society, learning arts that are practicable,” Ganduje said.
According to him, a look at places like China and India, which have explosion of youth population, the school curriculum incorporated skills development and the children grow with them.
Ganduje added: “Please, let us make Nigeria great by being productive to the country and to ourselves. Let us not wait for the government to come and give us jobs, there is no job to give.
“Let us be the people that will give jobs to others. All of us need to assist this President to change the face of this country and we will do it by leaning a skill.”
Earlier, Israel said that the party believed in the power of entrepreneurship as a tool to tackle unemployment, create jobs and fighting multi-dimensional poverty.
According to him, entrepreneurship is a dynamic force in the global economy, driving innovation, creating solutions, and shaping the future of Nigeria.
Noting that African biggest challenges remained poverty, inequality and lack of access to education and unemployment, Israel said that the number one duty of government was to improve life and well-being of the people.
“That is why we have come together to put this progressive enterprise skills development training programme to build the capacity of the next generation of entrepreneurs, business owners and to strengthen their capabilities.”
He said after studying the youth wing of various ruling political parties in India, Ghana, Morocco, UK, Switzerland and others, the lessons was that the political parties were beyond just elections vehicles.
“They are instruments for social liberation, empowerment and capacity building for the youth of their country, that is what is driving us at the National Youth Wing of APC in our four years strategic plan.
“We are talking of programmes and activities that we can do to impact lives of young people in our nation.
“There is no employment that can absorb all of the unemployed in our society, we need people to create jobs, and that is why we launch this EDET programme.
“The Enterprise -Skills Development Training (EDET) training programmes is to turn our young people from job seekers to job creators. it is to turn dreams to reality.
“We are giving them the right skills to be able to empower them on business management skills, entrepreneurship skills,soft skills and teach them how to raise funds for themselves,” Israel said.
He said that he had brought government agencies like SMIDAM, CAC, Bank of Industries and many others to connect with the younger entrepreneurs and startups.
He said that about 2000 young entrepreneurs registered for the EDET training programme but the party planned to train no fewer than 20,000 before the end of the year across states.
According to him, the participants will have the opportunity of meeting with experts who will take them through how to create a viable business.
He said that there would be a quick competition after the five days training on Friday where startups with good businesses proposal would win N1 million.
“By this little act, we are going to make Nigeria great again and if course secure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027,” Israel said.
Speaking, the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Magaji (SAN), who commended APC’s youth wing, said the commission was also empowering young people and their business.
Magaji, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Sadiq Mohammed, urged participants to take chances, assuring them of the commission’s support in getting their business registered.
Also speaking, the Lagos State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, expressed worry about the array of youths roaming the streets, saying “This kind of training is the way to go and we must hold the youths very dearly.”
