The President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce (ACCI), Tony Ejinkeonye, has called on the Federal Government to initiate a “national skills policy” to bridge various skill gaps in creating more job opportunities for the unemployed youth in the country.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 17 participants of the Abuja training centre, Ejinkeonye said the skills’ development was crucial to both job and wealth creation in the country, instead of depending on the oil and gas sectors of the economy.
Ejinkeonye stated that: “Nine of the participants in the skills acquisition; were trained in technical facility management while eight trained in office administration to compete and move Nigeria’s economy among the comity of nations.”
The ACCI President, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Kayode Adetokunbo said: “I want to suggest that the Federal Government should have a clear skill development policy that would address unemployment in Nigeria.”
He also suggested that the policy must provide that students leaving secondary school must acquire vocational skills before proceeding to tertiary institutions.
Acting Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr. Dickson Onuoha, said that the ITF was working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to identify the skills gap.
He said that at the completion of assessment of the skill gap, it would be captured in the national skill development policy.
Dr. Jens Gebharde, a facilitator at the training, also said that the German Government was collaborating with ACCI to train people in vocational skills to spread the skills across the country.
He said that the German Dual Vocational Training started in 2012 in Nigeria, aimed at training participants in technical facility management and office administration.According to him; it is also aimed at empowering Nigerians to create jobs and wealth for the nation.
