Minister Seeks Stakeholders Partnership in Institutionalizing Sustainable Skill Development for National Industrial Growth

As 535 Youths Graduates from MSD BOOTCAMP Training and Empowerment

By Uzo Ugwunze

The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, has urged Stakeholders from both public and private sectors to join hands with his Ministry on Institutionalizing Sustainable Skill Development as a key pillar for national industrial growth in Nigeria.

The Minister made the call during the Closing/Graduation ceremony of the BOOTCAMP Training and Empowerment Programme for 535 Nigerian Youths in the Metals Sector organized by the Ministry of Steel Development (MSD) which held at Metallurgical Training Institute (MTI) Km 6/7 Onitsha -Owerri express road, Anambra State.

The Federal Government empowered 535 youths from states across the country with starter packs after a successful Boot Camp training in the steel Sector.

The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Audu reiterated the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration to create more jobs through youth empowerment, saying that the youths who benefited from the empowerment package were expected to become entrepreneurs in no distant time and in turn train and empower other youths across Nigeria thereby contributing toward driving the metal Sector.

The training, which was organized by the Federal Ministry of Steel Development, was aimed at equipping youths from across the country with technical skills in welding, fabrication, Industrial metallurgy, instrumentation system as well as mechanical maintenance.

Addressing the Boot-Camp graduates, Prince Audu said that the idea was to ensure rapid growth in the metal sector as well as provide employment for the teeming youths .

“The vision of Presiden Tinubu’s government under the Renewed Hope Agenda is to ensure that the graduants are equipped with practical skills rather than the normal certificate that was usually issued after such programme.

“Plans are on to make the Boot-Camp training an annual exercise. It is structured to empower young Nigerians with the practical skills and knowledge that will enable them to become productive contributors to the Steel and Metal sectors and by extension the national economy,” Audu said.

While describing the steel industry as the backbone of industrialization, the Minister noted that with the efforts to resuscitate all the ailing steel industry, the government considered it a priority to empower the youths who would be utilized to man the numerous projects across the country.

The Director MTI, Onitsha, Engr. Dr. Uche Obi in his remark noted that to deliver industry-relevant skills and produce world-class technicians, it is imperative that trainees are exposed to modern training equipment and tools that reflect current industrial standards.

According to him, some of the Institute’s equipment were obsolete and cannot effectively serve the dynamic needs of today’s industries, even as he called on the Ministry of Steel Development to support the procurement and installation of modern, up-to-date technical equipment across all training workshop.

Engr. Dr. Obi further appealed for recruitment waiver to enable MTI to employ qualified technical personnel for future trainings. He also urged the Minister to facilitate passage of the Enabling bill for the MTI Onitsha which is at the National Assembly which will make the institute eligible for government intervention such as TETFUND and other Agencies.

The Director, Metallurgical Inspectorate Department, Ministry of Steel Development, Mr Fredrick Ewa said that the 535 graduants having been armed with knowledge, equipped with tools, and emboldened with vision can no longer be job seekers but now job creators, saying that out of 258,833 youths who applied they were privileged to be among the 700 applicants selected for the program.

Mr Ewa noted that the programme is not just a training but a movement and a clarion call to action, designed to catalyze the rebirth of Nigeria’s metals and steel sector by investing in its most invaluable youth resource.

In his remarks, the Anambra State Commissioner for Industry, Mr Christian Udechukwu, who also represented Governor Chukwuma Soludo welcomed the Minister, thanking the Federal Government for choosing Anambra State as a location for the Boot-Camp training, adding that state has the enabling environment, policies and programs to partner with the graduants.

“We have funds for Youth Entrepreneurship Development. We have State funds at Anambra State Business Agency. We also have partnership development fund with the Bank of Industry. As this Boot-Camp training and empowerment continue annually as the Minister proposed, we look forward to partnering with the Federal Government in the future,” Udechukwu said.

Some of the beneficiaries cum graduants Bagidi Akile Jude from Benue, Ekike Obijulu from Abia, Taiwo Oladimeji from Lagos, and Atahiru Aliyu from Taraba state, described the training as a right step and commended President Tinubu for his purposeful leadership which will very soon provide stability in the nation’s steel and economic development.

They, however, noted that to fully harness the newly acquired skills and maximize their potentials, there is the need for additional advanced training opportunities to further deepen their expertise and stay abreast of industry developments.

*Ugwunze is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State*