Human Capital development, a catalyst for sustainable development
Posted by Emmanuel Adimoha | 5 years ago | 1,558 times
It is global knowledge that Investing in human capital by way of quality and functional education, on -the -job training and entrepreneurial studies will bring about the right calibre of human resources to drive the much needed diversification to achieving a balanced growth in all facets of any society.
Human capital development as a paradigm has been globally acknowleged as a catalyst and basic foundation for a meaningful and sustainable economic development of any society.
This strategy has been adopted by many developed and developing nations in an effort towards the economic emancipation of their people through the instrumentality of vocation and skills acquisition.
For instance, In Abia State, the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has also adopted same initiative right from inception in 2015. These initiatives include the Education for employment (E4E)Initiative launched in the state on 16th September 2015 where three technical schools including Boys Technical College, Aba, Secondary Technical School Afaraukwu Ibeku ,and government Technical college Ania -Ohafia used as pilot schools were given buses each in support of the development of technical and vocational education training in these institutions.
This education for employment programme as conceptualized by the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu administration is aimed at strengthening the technical and vocational education training by offering purposeful and demand -driven training to the unemployed Youth in the state in various skills set to prepare them for jobs anywhere they find themselves as well as make them wealth creators and employers of labour.
Other similar vocational programmes initiated by the present administration include Abia State multi -skill and entrepreneurship Development centre which was formally launched in Umuobiakwa in Obingwa LGA by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with two hundred trainees at the take off stage. However, the latest amongst these youth empowerment initiatives is the Abia State Youth Employment and Social Support Operations (YESSO) officially flagged off in the state by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Thursday 11th July, 2019 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
The Abia State youth employment and social support operations programme which has two component units including the public workfare and skills for Job was launched by the federal government and state government in collaboration with the World Bank.
Though coordinated through the federal government in collaboration with World Bank and participating state governments, the state Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu should be commended for exhibiting the political will to meet the multi -million naira government counterpart cash contribution funding requirement to ensure that Abia is included as one of the sixteen YESSO participating States in Nigeria and the only state in the south East participating in the programme.
The public workfare component of the Abia State youth employment and social support operations programme which is labour intensive for people between the ages of 18 -45 is intended to engage the unskilled unemployed youth from the poor and vulnerable households in an intensive programme.
At the pilot stage of the programme,a total of 3860 beneficiaries drawn from six local government areas of Isialangwa North, Isialangwa south, Ohafia, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and umunneochi representing the 3 senatorial zones as compiled and approved by the World Bank are participating in labour intensive jobs of their choice.
These three thousand, eight hundred and sixty beneficiaries of Abia origin are to receive monthly stipends of seven thousand, five hundred naira each for a period of twelve months as obtained in other states of the federation where the programme is functional.
In words of the Governor I quote : " Today marks another very important milestone in the life of Abia State,I enjoin you today make sure you multiply and grow whatever that has been given to your hand to deliver so that you can be better citizens not only for your family but for Abia and Nigeria in general.
"We expect that as you receive this money, you will deploy it to enhance your capacity to become employers of labour so that other people will receive their own blessings through you".
"I am sure and confidentthat you will deploy the Abia spirit in you to become billionaires from the mustard seed that is given in your hands".
With all these skills and vocational training initiatives of the Dr Okezie Ikpeazu administration enumerated and others too numerous to mention, one would agree with me that all that is needed for the economic emancipation of the youth of any society is a responsive and strong base as obtained in most developed nations of the world.
To this end,kudos should be given to the people centric Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu for making youth empowerment the fulcrum of his administration while stakeholders and Abians of goodwill are expected to key into same initiative and replicate such initiatives in their various localities as well as give the Governor the needed support to keep dolling out his empowerment programmes to deserving Abia populace.
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