No fewer than 60 unemployed youths in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, have received skill acquisition training under the Landmark University Community Development Impact Initiative (LMUCDII).
The youth which included both male and female, were selected from Living Faith Churches, Omu-Aran Youth Forum and Orolodo area of the community.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants received skill acquisition training in production of air freshener, paint, body cream and liquid soap.
They were also treated to some basic rudiments and counselling tips on entrepreneurship and record-keeping for them to be self-reliant.
Speaking at the training workshop held at the institution’s College Building, Mr Abiodun Okunla, the Chairman of LMUCDII, said the initiative was part of the institution’s corporate social responsibilities to the people of the community.
He noted that the institution’s management was not unaware of the alarming rate of unemployment and poverty among the youth, hence the decision to organise the training for them to be productively engaged.
According to him, there is the need for a credible alternative to the non-available white collar jobs that will engage the unemployed youths for them to be less dependent and self productive.
“The whole essence is to assist the youth achieve the desired entrepreneurship manpower, especially in skill acquisition aspect, in contributing their quota to national growth and development.
Abiodun disclosed that the LMUCDII team had through its medical outreach visited orphanages, prisons, schools and religious places in its desire to further impact on the living standard of the people of the community.
Dr Joseph Falaye of the Finance and Accounts Department, while delivering a lecture on “Entrepreneurship and Record Keeping’’, blamed inconsistent government policy as the bane of entrepreneurship growth in the country.
Falaye said appointment into headship of the nation’s financial body like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN0 should be on merit devoid of
any political interference.
He also blamed the difficulties in accessing credit facilities and lack of adequate feedbacks on government public intervention programmes to address the grey areas, as another critical factors.
Falaye regretted that irregular financial regime as regard the lending rate by successive administrations had continued to dampen the morale of potential entrepreneurship in the country.
“The problem persisted even in spite of the genuine passion, interest and efficient productive mindset shown by these teeming unemployed youths,” he said.
He suggested the institution of more public-oriented intervention programmes and initiatives with highly reduced or subsidised interest rate across the country for the youth to become self-reliant.
A resource person, Mr Isaac Adewuyi of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development Studies (CEDS), expressed the need to develop a positive mindset in order to achieve success in any chosen field of entrepreneurship.
Mr Doyin Lawal, President Omu-Aran Youth Forum, in a remark, praised the organiser for its foresight, saying the initiative was a well thought out initiative aimed at engaging the youth productively.