As a way of teaching the youths of Oyo Central Senatorial District how to fish instead of just being given a fish per day, no fewer than 2,000 youths from the 11 local government areas that constitute Oyo Central Senatorial District were in the last two weeks made to undergo series of trainings in skills acquisition training like ICT in order to prepare them better for the modern day technological challenges.
This is courtesy of Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin who currently represents Oyo Central Senatorial District.
The youths and participants from the training were drawn from Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-east, Oyo-west, Ona-Ara, Oluyole, Lagelu, Egbeda , Akinyele, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa local government areas of the state which comprises the senatorial district.
Going by the teaching during the training, it is to further enlighten sole proprietors, artisans, traders on how to sustain and expand their businesses for more profits through cooperative society.
In the first and second batches of the training which focused mainly on ICT for 1,000 youths as well as elementary management techniques for cooperatives, traders and partners, the participants were divided into two groups of 500 each with those from Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-east and Oyo-west LGAs having their trainings at a separate location from those from Ona-Ara, Oluyole, Lagelu, Egbeda and Akinyele who were assembled at another location. Those from Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa LGAs converged elsewhere respectively.
The benefactor speaks
According to Senator Folarin, the training for the participants who were mostly youths became imperative considering the fact that ICT is strategic to all sectors of the economy in terms of productivity and efficiency, hence he harped on the need for the 5-day ICT Skill Acquisition on Products and Wares Marketing for co-operators in the district. Specifically, Senator Folarin declared that the youths are to be trained in various areas of information and communications technology. True to his words, the 1,000 youths were so trained with most of them expressing joy about their exposure and knowledge to the ICT world at the end of the training.
He stressed among others that the capacity building, organised in partnership with Federal Cooperative College, is to train 500 youths of the senatorial district in various areas of information and communication technology .
“Having realised that economic prosperity and competitiveness of great nations are now hinged on internet and digital skills, I facilitated the ongoing training as part of my strategic efforts to ensure youths in the senatorial district acquire the relevant digital and internet skills for self and national economic prosperity.”Senator Folarin maintained that the 500 participants from the 11 LGAs of Oyo Central Senatorial District would have unique advantage of interacting with ICT gurus who would train them. After the five-day intensive training, mechanisms would be put in place to monitor and guide the trainees with a charge that the youths should use ICT to promote and expand their legitimate businesses. Senator Folarin stressed that he facilitated the training for his constituents considering it as a form of empowerment, job and wealth creating opportunities which he believes would help them in life. He said there is the need for beneficiaries to make use of the knowledge which they have acquired during the training and also to be an advocate of positive development by exposing people around them to how to do things better. “I want you to form a group and start cooperative society. Nothing is too small to start with; all you need now is fo cut down the frivolous expenses and concentrate on how to improve on your business using the knowledge you have aquired at the training… Trainer’s charge.A lecturer at the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele Ibadan and one of the facilitators at the training, Mrs Christiana Ojo, in her presentation emphasised that the training is a good initiatives which would help the participants to manage their businesses and capital. “If management technique is not visible in any organisation, such organisation would have issues. There are evidences around that many good business ideas are having issues; some are even closing down because of the poor management and human relations. So, during this training, we trained them the basics of business management and human relations. She stressed that training likes this would expose the beneficiaries to know how to relate with people and sustain their business. “For those who are into cooperative society, they have been trained on how to effectively play their role as a cooperator…She however urge the government not to just train, but also empower them so that they can have a stable and sustainable businesses and be able to impact the society positively..Benefactor’s closing remarks
Declaring the training closed, Senator Folarin emphasised the need for youths to make good use of the knowledge acquired during the training on digital knowledge and cooperative management techniques, saying it would go a long way to curb the recurring menace of unemployment in the country. “Nigeria youths should recognise the role of Information Communication Technology (1CT) as a major driver of world economy and critical to our future as a nation.
“The world is now a global village; therefore, Nigerian youths must recognise the role of Information Communication Technology (1CT) as a major driver of world economy and critical to our future as a nation. To this end, Nigerian youths are enjoined to leverage on digital knowledge and cooperative management techniques to curb the recurring menace of unemployment in Nigeria. “You will agree with me that there are no white-collar jobs for millions of Nigerian youths especially the graduates. That is why I facilitated two different empowerment trainings for 1,500 youths with a view to taking them away from the unemployment market. The programmes were designed to equip and empower the youths with ICT skill acquisition and elementary management techniques for cooperators, sole traders and partners for self-reliance.”
Senator Folarin stressed, “Apart from knowledge and skills imparted to the participants, each of them was given N40,000 to support their business ideas excluding multi-million naira expended on the two weeks of intensive trainings. In all, N60 million is given to the 1,500 participants.”
He however pleaded with the participants not to make him regret empowering them as it would amount to a shame on him if the beneficiaries of the empowerment misuse the opportunities given to them with his efforts in ensuring they have means of livelihood. He said that he is ready to continue to support those that utilise the knowledge acquired at the trainings in their various vocations as it was glaring that adequate and proper utilisation of the training would go a long way in making them self-reliant. .
An appreciation.Commending Senator Folarin on behalf of the 1,000 beneficiaries drawn from the 11 local government areas in Oyo Central Senatorial District, Mr Saheed Babatunde lauded him for deeming it fit to give back to the youths and women in his senatorial district as doing so goes a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the masses and providing employment for them.
.
