Vocational Skills: Ogun HoS Declares Them the Backbone of Nigeria’s Economy
By The Editor
Ogun State Head of Service, Mr Kehinde Onasanya has described Vocational
skills as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, with promoters of skill acquisition playing an invaluable role in national development.
He stated this while delivering a keynote address at the graduation ceremony of students of the Peter Akinola Foundation Youth Center for Industrial Training, Abeokuta.
Onasanya said the event was more than a graduation but a celebration of the graduands’ dedication, resilience, and determination to equip themselves with life-changing skills that would shape their future and enable them to contribute meaningfully to society.
He praised the Peter Akinola Foundation for its efforts in standardizing technical and vocational education, stressing that such initiatives are vital in strengthening Nigeria’s workforce and economy.
The HoS emphasized that vocational and technical training remains the most reliable way to bridge the nation’s employment gap, given that the civil service is already saturated and cannot absorb the thousands of graduates produced yearly by tertiary institutions.
According to him, vocational training creates opportunities for self-development, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation, opening doors to “a world of possibilities.” He further affirmed the state government’s unwavering commitment to vocational education as a tool for empowerment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
Highlighting Ogun State’s efforts, Onasanya noted that under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, the government has strengthened Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through initiatives like the 2024 TVET scholarship for 1,000 girls, supported by the World Bank.
He urged the graduands to believe in themselves and remain focused, while commending the foundation’s founder, Archbishop Peter Akinola, for his consistent dedication to developing the center and producing skilled manpower critical to Nigeria’s industrial growth.
In his remarks, Archbishop Akinola explained that the center was designed to nurture talent, transform youths into professionals, and raise job creators rather than job seekers. He noted that the program specifically addresses Nigeria’s unemployment challenges by equipping young people to stand on their own and close the skills gap in the nation’s workforce.
In a goodwill message, the State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu—represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Oluwatosin Oloko—commended the foundation for “teaching young people how to fish rather than giving them fish.” He reiterated that vocational training is the backbone of functional education and a driver of economic growth.
He added that the state had upgraded eight technical colleges to equip students with industry-relevant skills.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Olayinka Elemide, described the vocational center as a “breeding ground for skill acquisition and empowerment” vital for Nigeria’s economic advancement.
Two of the graduands, Kehinde Grace and Yahaya Martins, expressed gratitude to the foundation and its sponsors for giving them a pathway to success through vocational training.
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