Joseph Bakare
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering Nigerians through skills acquisition and sustainable livelihoods, as 700 beneficiaries graduated from a 10-day Federal Government vocational training programme in Oyo State.
Dr Abiola Arogundade, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (TVEE), stated this on Friday in Ibadan at the graduation ceremony.
The training was organised under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) to equip beneficiaries with practical, market-relevant skills for economic independence.
Arogundade said the initiative reflected Tinubu’s determination to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap and empower young Nigerians to compete effectively in the evolving economy.
She said the programme was designed to promote self-reliance, improve employability and enable beneficiaries to build sustainable livelihoods.
According to her, the 700 beneficiaries comprised 30 participants trained in artificial intelligence (AI) and graphics, 85 in makeup artistry, 85 in fashion design and 500 in digital economy-related skills.
“This project is very dear to my heart because I come from Aremo, Ibadan.
“But it is also very dear to the heart and vision of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose determination to close Nigeria’s skills gap is a major driver of the mandate we have been given.”
Arogundade said Tinubu believed young Nigerians needed opportunities, skills and tools to compete effectively and achieve economic independence.
She urged stakeholders to support initiatives that equipped young people with relevant skills and opened pathways to sustainable livelihoods.
Sen. Sharafadeen Alli, APC governorship candidate in Oyo State and representative of Oyo South Senatorial District, said the initiative would contribute to poverty reduction not just in Oyo but across the country.
Sen. Alli said the Tinubu administration had introduced measures to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal, adding that the empowerment programme was part of efforts to tackle poverty and unemployment.
Similarly, Sen. Yunus Akintunde (representing Oyo Central) commended Arogundade for facilitating the programme and urged beneficiaries to preserve and make productive use of the equipment provided.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, represented by Shola Ladoja, also commended Arogundade and the Federal Government for the initiative, while expressing
optimism that the programme would contribute to poverty reduction and improve livelihoods.
The ceremony attracted youths, representatives of non-governmental organisations, politicians, traditional rulers, entrepreneurs and academics.
At the end of the programme, all beneficiaries were awarded certificates and provided with start-up kits to support their transition into self-employment and sustainable livelihoods.