Halima Musa
1 January 2009
analysis
The activities of the youth to a large extent determines the future of this country. They should not be left alone without any aid from the different governmental levels of the federation.
Helping them will foster development in the country and reduce drastically the existing crime rate.
The scenario at the skills acquisition centre depicts a group of some enthusiastic people of different age and sex gathered in one place to learn a skill that will make them self empowered. This group comprises the young, the adult and even the not very old, the uneducated, the less educated and the highly educated from among the males and the females, coming from different location and background but united under one goal.
Highly committed to their work, the students at Hadejia skills acquisition centre seems to have began the crusade against the eradication of poverty in Jigawa state. This is evident from the commitment and dedication they exhibit at each of the department visited. The centre which was established seven years ago has about 8 departments, each imparting a particular skill for the trainees. These departments include the building engineering, fashion and design, air-condition and refrigerator repairs, Carpentry and motor mechanic. Others are electrical engineering, Horse dress design and metal and welding fabrication. The number of the trainees at each department varies, while some departments have no fewer than 80 trainees, others have ranging from 60, 40 and 20.There is about a total number 30 teachers who impart the various skills to the students.
Taking the permanent secretary, Jigawa state Directorate for Economic Empowerment, Alhaji Jamilu Abubakar Gumel, round the centre, the principal Alhaji Hassan S Hameed disclosed that the centre has graduated about five sets of students since inception numbering up to 3000 people; the sixth set is the one currently undergoing the training. While formally the duration of the course was 9 months, the present set would have to spend a whole year to complete.
At the fashion and design department the students receive training on how to operate the sewing and knitting machines and also how to make different designs. At the order side of the class the horse dress designers were busy with their tools fashioning out beautiful horse dresses and some other royal regalia. It is the only department that comprise both the males and the females. Several readymade dresses including the knitted ones were on display. Each of the trainees was seen engaged with one thing or the other. The horse dress design was introduced because according to the principal, Jigawa indigenes have penchant for horse dress, and they lack such skills in the area; they go to other places to make purchase. He added that with it being made in the state there would be no need of going out to buy it.
At the electrical engineering department, the students were busy receiving lectures on the various aspect of electrical know how. Explaining the aspects being taught to them the principal said the students were first coached on how to handle the equipments, then how to design and make simple and overhead wiring. It takes 9 months to complete the course and after completion they go out for 3 months attachment. The principal said most of the graduate of the department are now gainfully engaged, some with big business in Abuja and other places.
Like any other mechanic workshop, the motor mechanic workshop at the centre was equipped with the necessary equipments. The trainees comprises the youths and some adult who were all busy with their tools, "in this department the students are taught how to utilise the various tools, as well as other mechanical know how", explained the principal. He added that after the completion of their training he was optimistic that they would be able to repair any vehicle that might come their way.
The metal and welding fabrication according to Hameed were also trained on how to use the equipments first, before they began to learn how to use the metal to make doors, windows, chairs and other materials that could be made by the metal. The workshop was stocked with metals and other various working tools. The same scenario featured in the carpentry, air condition and refrigerator repairs workshop with the trainees fully committed to their work.
Concluding his inspection at the building engineering workshop the PS was briefed on the activities of the department which includes learning the architectural design, the setting and foundation laying and the actual building. The principal disclosed that the department produces three types of blocks, the conventional 3 by 9 inches, the manual 3 by 9 and the modern blocks.
Regarding the patronage of their products, the principal said on most occasion people come for it, they have not made any effort yet to find market for the product.
Another program introduced at the centre was the training of retirees on the skills acquisition. He noted, "we decided to introduce the program so that people that have retired from active service, who had never known any skill would come here and learn something with which they can earn some money".
He revealed that under the retiree program they have so far graduated no fewer than 100 people, "they have graduated and are now fully engaged", he said.
Although the centre has been functional since inception, Daily Trust observed that the centre is bedevilled with so many problems ranging from dilapidated structures to congestion in some classes. Interview conducted with some of the students revealed that the training environment was not so conducive for effective learning.
Attesting to this fact the principal said "we have so many problems in this school right from inception and up to this time. For example one major problem that we faced when we began to graduate the students was failure of the then administration to assist them with the micro credit that would enable them to start their own businesses."
He added that the only thing the graduates could get was the certificate given to them. He noted that though some of them have been able to get jobs with their certificates, many were still left in suspense with neither a workshop of their own nor a gainful job.
Another thing that constitutes a constraint was the problem of electricity. He lamented that though the school already has its own transformer they are unable to work with it because of some faults that needed repairs, adding that they have forwarded a request in that respect and were still waiting.
He noted that the centre could not function without electricity because most of the machines needed electricity to operate, "so every day we have to buy fuel for the generator to function". He further explained that the people that registered for the training were more than the capacity of the facilities in the school, noting that so many people from among the politicians the nongovernmental organisation have brought their wards for the training also, "this development brought about the inadequacy of the facilities and even the structures".
Hameed further disclosed that they were constrained to join the men and the women in fashion and design department in one class, and that even the sewing machines were quite inadequate for the 80 people that were undergoing the training on this particular skill. He summed up that what the centre needed was a general renovation.
Commenting on the trainees attitudes to work, the principal said "they are showing high sense of commitment, so much so that they sometimes use their money to buy fuel for the engine so that work will continue".
He observed that provision of adequate facilities and enabling environment would further help in boosting their performance.
Some of the trainees interviewed expressed their delight with the whole program, but opined that it was not an easy task because of the so many problems they were facing. Mallam Umar Dansallah, one of the trainees said, "We thank the state government for this gesture, we are hoping that after the completion of our training we shall be on our own. I am appealing to the state government to kindly help in constructing another class for most especially those of us in the tailoring department, who out of necessity are made to stay in one class with the female trainees".
Dansallah who bags HND Electrical engineering in Kaduna polytechnic said he decided to enroll into the centre to obtain the practical skills as, according to him the school where he graduated was more concern with the theoretical aspect of the course than the practical aspect.
Malama Aisha Zakar in the tailoring department said there was no problem with the actual training their problem was logistics. She noted that they were not receiving any assistance from the state government, "we sponsor ourselves right from the transport fares to what we eat while at the centre. We are soliciting the assistance of the state government to kindly assist us with an allowance to help alleviate our problems".
Responding the Permanent Secretary, Directorate for Economic Empowerment Alhaji Jamilu Abubakar Gumel said government was not oblivious of the problems bedevilling the centre including the other 4 centres located at Ringim, Kazaure, Gumel and Birnin kudu.
He disclosed that the state government has earmarked N56million for the general renovation of the whole centres and construction of additional classes. Regarding the allocation of allowance to the students, Abubakar said the issue would be resolve when the state deputy governor under whose office the directorate function, visits the centre very soon.
The PS who was at the centre on a familiarisation visit assured the students that government was into an agreement with some micro finance banks in its effort to secure loans to enable them start their own business after graduation, "the arrangement has been concluded, the only thing that is delaying it, is for the government to guarantee the banks and as soon as they are guaranteed, the graduates of the center would be given the loans through the micro finance banks".
He further assured the students that the state government was making effort to get a market for their products, saying there was an arrangement already where jigawa state shopping centres would be opened in places like Kaduna and Abuja . Such places would contain made in Jigawa products.
He therefore urged the students to reciprocate the gesture by showing commitment to the work, he also charged the local government authorities to complement the state government effort by ensuring that those opportune to acquire the skills were not left neglected.
On his part the directorate's director of programs, Alhaji Bashir Haruna Roni told the trainees that even after their graduation the directorate would continue to monitor their performance and where it notice any neglect of work, appropriate measure would be taken against the person. He therefore urged them to double their effort as it is only through commitment and hard work that poverty could be eradicated.
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