The Federal Government has empowered 700 youths from states across the country with starter packs after a successful Boot Camp training in the steel sector.
The empowerment ceremony held at the Metallurgical Training Institute, MTI Onitsha, Anambra State.
The training, organized by the Federal Ministry of Steel Development, aims at equipping the youths with technical skills in various areas.
These include: welding, fabrication, industrial metallurgy, instrumentation system as well as mechanical maintenance.
Beneficiaries are expected to become entrepreneurs who in no distant time will train and empower other youths across Nigeria.
On the occasion, the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu, reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to creating more jobs for the youth.
The Minister said the idea was to provide employment for the teeming youths and ensure rapid growth in the metal sector.
He said President Tinubu’s vision under the Renewed Hope Agenda is to ensure that the graduands are meaningfully equipped beyond issuance of certificates.
He said plans were on to make the training an annual exercise structured to empower young Nigerians with practical skills and knowledge.
The minister described the steel industry as the backbone of industrialization, hence Federal Government’s effort to resuscitate all ailing steel industries.
Modern equipment critically needed
Acting Director MTI, Onitsha, Uche Obi, in a remark, noted that to deliver industry-relevant skills and produce world-class technicians, it is imperative that trainees are exposed to modern training equipment and tools that reflect current industrial standards.
According to him, some of the Institute’s equipment were obsolete and cannot effectively serve the dynamic needs of today’s industries.
He called on the Ministry of Steel Development to support the procurement and installation of modern, up-to-date technical equipment across all training workshops.
The Director, Metallurgical Inspectorate Department in the Ministry, Fredrick Ewa said the graduands can no longer be job seekers but job creators.
This is because they have been armed with knowledge, equipped with tools, and emboldened with vision.
Ewa noted that the programme is not just a training but a movement and a clarion call to action.
“It is designed to catalyze the rebirth of Nigeria’s metals and steel sector by investing in its most invaluable youth resource” he said.
Some of the trainees including Bagidi Akile Jude from Benue, Ekike Obijulu from Abia, Taiwo Oladimeji from Lagos, and Atahiru Aliyu from Taraba state extolled the knowledge impartation.
They commended President Tinubu for his purposeful leadership which will soon stabilize the nation’s steel and economic development.
They however noted that to fully harness the newly acquired skills and maximize their potential, there is the need for advanced training opportunities to further deepen their expertise and stay abreast of industry developments.
