From Segun Babatunde in Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya ( Dan Majen Gombe) says inspite of the global economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, his administration is doing everything within its available resources to bring social and economic stability to Gombe state through creation of job opportunities for graduates and non graduates alike in the State.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya who stated this weekend while speaking at the combined convocation ceremony and award of fellowship of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe, restated his administration’s commitment to human capital development in the state.
The convocation ceremony also witnessed presentation of honorary fellowship award to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and the Emir of Gombe, Dr. Abubakar Shehu Abubakar lll.
Governor Yahaya while speaking at the occasion said, since assuming office on 29th of May 2019 his administration took immediate and long-term actions aimed at stimulating economic growth and creating jobs for the youths.
He noted that Governments and private companies have placed embargo on employment thus leading to rising unemployment with attendant effects on security and stability,”.
He however remarked that, as governments all over the world struggle to cope with the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, his administration is doing everything necessary to bring social and economic stability to Gombe state.
“We are sincerely committed to addressing the challenge of youth unemployment which is why since assuming office on 29th of May 2019 we took immediate and long-term actions aimed at stimulating economic growth and creating jobs for our youth.
“One of the first steps we took was to create an unemployment registration portal for our young graduates. So far we have registered 20,807 job seekers (7,463 university graduates and 13,344 NCE and National Diploma holders).
“Within the last few months, we have succeeded in engaging 500 of these unemployed youths through the ARC-P project. We also intend to engage another 3,000 through our various Human Capital Development Initiatives before the end of the year”.
He said only recently, his administration commenced the construction works at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Boltongo where the State Government is planning to employ 2,000 youths into the Gombe State Traffic and Environment Corps (Go-STEC).
In the same vain, Governor Inuwa Yahaya revealed that the State government under his leadership is laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth and job creation with the establishment of the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, Dadin Kowa, the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Development Agency Garin Tafida, and the revitalization of the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve.
“These initiatives will go a long away in reducing if not addressing the challenge of poverty and unemployment in our dear state”.
He appealed to the graduating students and the entire youths of the dear state to take advantage of all the state Government initiatives as well as the similar programmes of the Federal Government with a view to becoming self-employed.
The Governor said the convocation ceremony marks an important milestone, not only in the history of the College but also of education in Gombe State and Nigeria as a whole.
He said as an important teachers’ training institution in the North-East subregion, the College has continued to contribute immensely towards the provision of quality education and research for the development of Gombe State and the country at large.
“Successive managements of the College, especially the present management headed by Dr Ali Adamu, who is a bonafide indigene of our dear state, must be congratulated and commended for working assiduously to bring rapid growth and development to the College since its establishment in 1977”.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya expressed the hope that the College will continue to make significant advances in teaching, research and innovation in the years to come.
The Governor enjoined the graduands to see the convocation ceremony as an important day of their lives as it marks the end of long years of academic journey leading to the conferment of Nigeria Certificate in Education NCE in their chosen disciplines.
He therefore joined the students in celebrating the remarkable success and congratulated them for the hard work and their families for supporting them to achieve the while their academic pursuit lasts.
“As you are all aware, your graduation comes at a unique time with unique challenges. We are living in a world of increasing uncertainties and complexities. Entering the labour market in these trying times can be herculean task.Both national and global economies have turned upside-down as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“To the College administration, I would like to emphasise the need to intensify the teaching of entrepreneurship skills to students so as to inculcate the spirit of self-reliance and wealth creation among our youths.
Our government is ever ready to support any initiatives that will help train, empower and integrate our youths into the economy of the state and nation at large”.
Visitor to the college and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, represented by the Executive Secretary National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) Dr Paulinius Chijoke Okwelle said Nigeria’s vision to become one of the largest economies by the year 2030 hinges on the production of mass citizens with the requisite vocational technical skills and competencies rather than mere certification.
He commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for initiating a multi million naira erosion control works at the premises of the College, describing the gesture as highly commendable and worthy of emulation by all men and women of goodwill.
The chairman Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe, Ambassador Dr. Sahabi Isah Gada said since inception, the College, has graduated over twenty thousand NCE holders and an appreciable number of degree holders in its affiliated programme with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University.
Provost of the Federal College, Dr. Ali Adamu said the general purpose of the College was the production of competent technical and vocational teachers, with sound moral and academic acumen for optimal and better performance in primary and Secondary schools in Nigeria.
He said despite paucity of funds, the College was able to achieve numerous successes such as the construction of standard academic board complex, automobile workshop and construction and furnishing of Early Childhood Care Education Complex among others.
