Ogun Govt Partners German Agency To Reduce Rate Of Unemployment

   

  

 Ogun State Government says it is working in synergy with the German Agency for International Cooperation, GIZ, to organise the first edition of Employment Conference  in Abeokuta between September 6 and 7, 2023, as part of the moves to reduce the disturbing rate of unemployment in the state 

The target of the conference designed for

the unemployed youths and residents in the state ,  is to work out strategy on how to  optimally harness the clusters of industries in the State for gainful employment for the people 

         

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola made this known in Abeokuta, during separate courtesy visits by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Conference to the State Head of Service, Mr. Kolawole Fagbohun, Special Advisers to the Governor on Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan, Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu and the Chief Economic Adviser, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo.

          

Aikulola, who doubles as the Chairman of the LOC, noted that the Conference which would bring together critical stakeholders would address the existing mismatch of the high rate of unemployed youths.

          

He assured that the event would be specific and recommend realistic and actionable steps, which would help take advantage of the State's potential, as well as address unemployment.

          

Also speaking, State Coordinator/Policy Advisor, GIZ, Mr. Steven Dada also a member of the LOC, said the Conference was planned to follow up and build on the gains of the Employment Conference held nationally, adding that the programme would fashion out ways which would help unemployed youths to be gainfully employed and make the State an exporter of labour.

          

Speaking,  Fagbohun said it is time for critical stakeholders to pay more attention to the challenge of unemployment to checkmate youth involvement in crime, calling on the GIZ to help establish schools on skill development for graduates which would help them sharpen their skills, in order to prepare them for gainful employment.

       

 Contributing, Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun On Budget and Planning,Mr. Olabimtan says the government's main role in addressing unemployment is to create an enabling environment for businesses to start and thrive so as to adequately employ labour, advising the Committee to ensure actionable recommendations which could be embedded into the State Medium Term Strategy and Economic agenda of the government.

          

Similarly, Prof. Arigbabu stated that emphasis should be on the vocational skill development of students alongside any academic pursuit, just as it is currently implemented at the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode.

        

On his part, Special Adviser on Finance  Mr. Dapo  Okubadejo called for curriculum development to help prepare graduates for entrepreneurship, while also improving on Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) and quality standardisation, which would help certify experts

He added that the State was in the process of formalising its Enterprise Development Agency (EDA), to help improve the capacity of graduates to start their businesses.