Minister Of Mines And Steel Development, Adegbite, Urges Osun Youths To Be Self-Sufficient, Seeks End To Unemployment

 

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, has called on youths to seek out new avenues to grow capacity to become self-sufficient rather than looking for non-existing white collar jobs in the country, AMILOADED reports.

Adegbite made the remarks at the closing ceremony of a two-day Regional Photography Workshop for youths in Ile-Ife, Osun State on Sunday.

The workshop tagged, “Beyond light and Shadow”, was organised by the Senior Special Adviser on Documentation to the Minister, Mr Oluwadamilare Fawole.

50 youths, who were drawn from the South-West states, participated in the workshop.

The minister, who was represented virtually at the event by his Senior Special Adviser on Technical, Mr Olusegun Adedayo, noted that youth unemployment was a national concern, adding that there was urgent need for new partnerships and approaches to minimise the challenge.

Adegbite said that with youth unemployment numbers growing annually, it was paramount for youths to explore and invest in new ventures, as well as take advantage of the opportunities that the media had created.

He said, “I am delighted to see that the youth are taking up this innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial skill in building capacity, and setting up their own enterprises, as well as creating more employment opportunities for others.

“Your participation in this Photography class, I believe, has strengthened you practically in the skill of photography and you can apply this into becoming professionals, entrepreneur and developing our dear nation.

“In our dear country Nigeria, youth unemployment is a national concern; new partnerships and approaches can help us in turning tide,” the minister stated.

In his remarks, Fawole said the workshop was organised as part of his contribution to empower youths to be self-reliant.

He added that photography, if well managed and packaged, would provide a good source of income and livelihood for the youths.

Fawole said since government cannot solve the problem of unemployment alone, he was planning to train and empower 300 youths across the country.

“This is a project to empower the youths in the country. We have done in Nasarawa, which represented North Central, Abia, represented South-East, and now Osun representing South-West,” he said.

Fawole, however, appealed to government to include photography as a course into the educational curriculum in the country.

He said this could be done right from the elementary stage to the higher institution.

He said it was disheartening that no University in the country was offering photography as course in the country.

Three of the participants, who had the best shots during photoshooting competition at the event were given photography kits.

The winner was given Canon 600D camera, first runner-up was given a speed light kit, while the second runner up was given an external hard drive.

The participants, in their various remarks appreciated the organiser of the event for exposing them to the act photography.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.