From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

Worried over the alarming unemployment rate in Nigeria, aides to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state have promised to partner with the Nigeria-Korea Institute of Vocational Training and Advanced Technology in Lokoja on skills acquisition and youth empowerment to overcome the trend.

According to the Governor’s aides, the partnership arrangement will go a long way in providing opportunities for citizens especially the youths to have access to requisite training that would make them self-reliant in absence of White Collar jobs.

This was made known by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Informal and Vocational Education, Hon Nanahauwa Yetunde Raji when she led her colleagues on a working visit to the institute.

The leader of the appointees, Nanahauwa Raji also hinted that the essence of the visit could not be downplayed in view of their determination to assisting their boss in achieving his lofty objectives of providing employment to the people of the state, especially the youths.

She appealed to citizens of the state to rise up and available themselves of the opportunity capable of enhancing their living conditions.

The SSA,  applauded the current administration, led by Governor Yahaya Bello for its commitment towards making Kogi a vocational and technological hub for the country assuring their willingness  to help  government in achieving its  set target for the state.

She expressed optimism that the state would not remain the same even after the Governor quits the stage for National Assignment, saying that it has been the passion of those working in Bello’s cabinet to contribute their own quota to making life better for the people of Kogi State.

Also,  the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources, Hon. Yahaya Ade Ismail, his counterpart in charge of Job Creation, Hon Suleiman Danladi Aguye and the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Empowerment – Kogi West, Comrade Amodu Ibikunle Abubakar, all stressed the need to nip the situation in the bud through massive employment creation.

They expressed their resolve towards ensuring that the institute gets necessary government attention to make it optimally functional for the state and its citizens.

Conducting the appointees round the school’s facilities, the Principal, Mr. Gabriel Okewu, had intimated them that the institute ranked one of the best in the country among similar interventions by the Korean Government but that its fortunes had nosedived in recent past.

He appealed to the appointees to make case for the institute so that it could assist the state government in addressing its vocational and technological needs and evolve innovative youths that would be self reliant and curb youth related vices.