Fed Govt, Innoson Group plan skill acquisition programme for youths
President Muhammadu Buhari's youth entrepreneurship and skill acquisition programmes are on the verge of receiving yet another boost from the private sector following a recent meeting between Innoson Group, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja.
Innoson Group which owns automobile and motorcycle assembly plants in Nnewi, and an ultra-modern plastics factory in Enugu, also runs an academy which is focused on providing unemployed youths with relevant artisanal training towards sustainable livelihood.
During the visit to the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, Innoson management, led by the Chairman of Innoson Group, Dr Innocent Chukwuma, and the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Kiara Academy, Mr. Endi Ezengwa, made a presentation and later held discussions which both sides described as very fruitful.
While making the presentation to the minister, Ezendi had outlined Innoson Kiara Academy's activities and programmes, pointing out areas of possible collaboration with the Federal Government on skill acquisition and youth development.
Impressed with the rich content of the illustration, the minister commended Innoson's management for the noble initiative of equipping the youth with the vital training towards a gainful living - which he said is in tandem with the Federal government's programmes.
Senator Ngige said the visit by the Innoson delegation was timely, considering that government is launching various skill acquisition programmes designed to empower young Nigerians and provide them with life-long skills and tools to enable them improve their lives and make a difference in their immediate communities.
He assured them of the willingness of the Buhari government to train and empower Nigerian youths for which it has earmarked N500 billion. Senator Ngige further assured that the government would partner with the Innoson Group and other relevant organisations in order to ensure the success of the programme.
He restated the commitment of the government to an import-reduction regime through heavy patronage of made-in-Nigeria products to which Inoson Innoson Group contributes a long list of items through its subsidiary companies, including Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM) which manufactures passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Nnewi,
As the training arm of the Innoson Group, Innoson Kiara Academy offers courses that are tailored to meet the technical personnel needs of various factories within the 'family', in addition to providing skill acquisition training for participants in the amnesty programme for the Niger Delta ex-militants, as well as other organisations.
A batch of the ex-militants which has been undergoing training at the Innoson Kiara Academy in partnership with the Presidential Amnesty Office, is expected to pass out before the end of August.
At various stages in the course of the training which commenced in 2015, the participants were deployed to different sections at the Innoson auto plant in Nnewi, for training as welders, spray painters, auto mechanics, and electricians, among others.
The ex-militants have been undergoing the training under the Federal Government's Education for Employment (E4E) Programme for the Niger Delta Youths supervised by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen Paul T. Boro. - New Telegraph.