The Vice Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Sa’adatu Hassan-Liman has called on youths across the country to acquire relevant skills in order to tackle the prevailing issues of unemployment.
The VC made the call at the Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Thursday during the ‘Exhibition of Students Products 2024,’ which was organised by the Department of Entrepreneurship Studies in the university.
While noting that not everyone will have the privilege of getting a white-collar job, she emphasised the need for the youths to show commitment to the development of their skills and talents to improve their livelihoods.
Hassan-Liman further called on political leaders in the country to support the youths by regularly organising skill acquisition programmes that would help them become self-reliant and financially independent so that they can also contribute meaningfully to the growth of the society.
The VC who seized the opportunity to commend the lecturers and staff of the entrepreneurship department in the university for their efforts towards grooming the students to become employers of labour in the nearest future, stressed further, “In today’s Nigeria, as a student, it is important to learn a skill that will prepare you ahead so that after graduation, you will be able to set up your own business and start earning while searching for any job of your choice.
“The skills that you all have learnt should be practised to the extent that you will become employers of labour. I can assure you that with the skills you have acquired, you are already on the way of taking Nigeria to greater heights,” she added.
On her part, the Head, Department of Entrepreneurship Studies in the university, Dr. Monica Agu explained that the exhibition was a platform for the students to share their unique perspectives through innovative solutions, artistic expressions, and technological advancements.
She noted, “The problem nowadays is that many students are without skills, and after graduation, they will begin to go around the streets looking for white-collar jobs. They must learn skills so that when they graduate, they will be able to establish their own businesses and become employers of labour.”
In their separate remarks, a former Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state, Hon. Musa Sulaiman with the Registrar of the university, Dr. Bala Isyaka Ahmed II, who was represented by Comrade John Danladi Efuna; alongside the Bursar, Comrade Murtala Kana; and the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Yahaya Muhammad; plus the Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Abdullahi Adamu Suleiman, among others, commended the students for acquiring the relevant skills that would make them self-reliant in the nearest future.
Earlier in his speech, the Course Lecturer, Dr. Vincent Paul, while expressing his gratitude to all the dignitaries for attending the exhibition despite their busy schedules, mentioned highlighted some of the skills that the students learnt including – Paint making, Soap making, Photography, Baking, Fashion design, Graphic design, Event management, and planning, among others.
He noted that the students were taught quality skills to ensure quality production and marketing of the produced products in order to complement the efforts of the government and the private sector in their bid to provide quality service to the citizens of the country.
