Uchechukwu Nnaike And Funmi Ogundare
30 December 2008
Lagos — If Nigeria must become a top 20 country by 2020, all forms of youth empowerment must be encouraged to develop value-adding future leaders and captains of the country's economy, Principal Consultant of Lonadek Oil and Gas Consultants, Dr. Ibilola Amao has said.
Amao made the observation in Abuja during a 'Vision 2020 Youth Empowerment and Restoration Initiative' workshop, which her company organised for Senior Secondary (SS) students, as well as first and second year undergraduates, studying Geo-Sciences in higher institutions across the country.
According to her, the programme was borne out of the company's conviction to fill a gap in industry awareness creation, career counseling and youth development among youths in the country, adding that the its future depended on its ability to enhance the capability and competence of the youths through collaboration, to increase creativity, excellence and innovation.
She said the workshop also highlighted the importance of Mathematics, Science, Engineering and technology in societal transformation and national development.
The objectives of the workshop she said were to ensure that the country becomes a top 20 country by 2020, through skilled human resource development; to employ career counseling and awareness programmes for science and technology courses, so that youths could channel their energies to rewarding careers such as vocational entrepreneur and professional careers, among others.
She therefore appealed to the Federal Government to invest more in education so as to promote merit, excellence, creativity and innovation among the youths. "A bright young mind, if empowered can have an income of $1 a day translated to $100 - $500 a day depending on the specific competencies developed. If road maps to success are defined, through career counseling and industry awareness programmes, the latent or restive energies of youths can be transformed into constructive energies for national transformation."
Minister of State for Education, Hajiya Aishatu Jibril Dukku said the economic development of the country depended on the youth, who must be prepared intellectually and morally, as agents of positive change in higher institutions.
She regretted that most youths attained adulthood without the required orientation, skills and competencies. "Our youths must provide the intellectual and manpower resources to fuel our economy. The software to galvanise and sustain all of this is knowledge, skills and application of both into all other supporting factors."
She said a lot could be achieved through educating and empowering Nigerian youths who were interested in oil and gas career by encouraging and exposing them to information that would stimulate their minds and propel them to excel in Science and Technology based courses.
She therefore commended the company for organising the workshop, which she said would prevent the youth from engaging in restive or delinquent activities.
Minister of State for Works and Housing Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhre stressed the need for the country to empower its youths and promote the culture of learning, as well as understanding Mathematics as a tool for viable development of the nation's Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) system.
She decried the poor state of SETI system, especially in the Oil and Gas developmental career in Nigeria, adding that the workshop would help to develop the country's industrial capacity in a systematic manner. "I want to believe that at the end of this workshop, hope would have been restored in our youths to further reposition them for future challenges in their chosen careers for our nation's development", she said.
Managing Director, Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Limited, the platinum sponsor, Mr. Vance Querio said the event was an opportunity for the company to demonstrate its commitment to the development of skilled human resource within the context of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), capacity development and Nigerian content. He said the future of any organisation, institution or country was influenced by the transfer of core values, training, technology and empowerment of youths.
He expressed hope that the students would take advantage of the opportunities provided by the workshop for future achievements.
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