The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has encouraged Nigerian youth participating in the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) program to focus on personal development by enhancing and building new skill sets during their service period.
During the graduation ceremony for Next Gen RESCO, organized by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the Minister delivered remarks.
Olawande emphasized that they should alter their perspective, as the program aims to benefit their ancestral homeland. He mentioned that the one-year service offers an opportunity for them to acquire essential skills needed for future employment.
The minister, expressing concern over skill shortages in certain industries within the nation, stated that Nigerian youth are diligent but require opportunities and collaboration to flourish.
The youth in this nation have the potential to acquire new skills or enhance existing ones since many among them are overly focused on the certificates they receive and neglect the significance of developing practical abilities.
I have met with representatives from the private sector, who informed me that many industries are short of young workers. This shortage persists partly because numerous individuals like myself often think that right after finishing school, our duty is to serve our family’s interests, such as taking over the family business or supporting our parents’ endeavors.
We are now attempting to remove that focus from our minds as we need to prioritize taking care of ourselves. Throughout the service year, we come across complaints on social media about corps members not receiving payment while they serve in their country’s lands.
It’s time to invest that money, that energy, and those resources into acquiring the necessary skills for us.
Earlier, Abba Aliyu, the Managing Director of REA, stated that the program was launched to enhance young people’s skills in the intricacies of renewable solar energy.
He mentioned that the initial group comprised 120 interns who completed their one-year program with the aim of contributing 1,200 additional staff members to the power industry over the coming decade.
He mentioned that the program, which is a collaboration between REA and Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO), aims to create employment for young people.
‘Owing to the targeted initiatives implemented under Mr. President’s leadership, our nation currently boasts a photovoltaic panel production capability of 600 megawatts in Nigeria. Prior to his administration taking office, the cumulative manufacturing capacity stood at merely 110 megawatts. As things stand today, we have achieved an impressive 600-megawatt manufacturing output for solar panels. Additionally, there is an LPV facility with a 100-megawatt capacity located in Lagos that has become completely operational and functional.’
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