By Our Correspondent
Over the years, the issues of increasing rates of out-of-school children and unemployment have continued to generate concerns among Nigerians and beyond at different fora.
As part of the steps toward finding solutions to the menace, participants at a Youth Summit in Garaku, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have advocated the setting up of a Skills and Entrepreneurship programme for out-of-school children across the country to curtail idleness among the young ones.
The summit which was part of the event to mark the annual Nzeh Mada Cultural Festival was organized to suggest ways of engaging the unemployed youths in worthwhile ventures to enhance economic empowerment.
In a paper presentation entitled Entrepreneurship and Skill Acquisition: A Tool for Curbing Poverty in Society, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Entrepreneurial Studies, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Dr. Vincent Paul stated that governments at all levels had major roles to play in creating result-based policies aimed at providing the out-school children and the teeming unemployed youths across the country the opportunity to acquire skills.
Dr. Vincent Paul noted that the prevailing economic challenges call for leaders at all levels to focus attention on the growth and development of small and medium-scale enterprises as well as attitudinal change in the citizens towards engaging in entrepreneurship for self-reliance
A Former Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Mr. Anthony Sani called on the political class to be united and come up with a proactive approach toward tackling the rising cases of child labour, early marriage, and poverty, especially in the northern part of the country.
The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police CP. Shehu Nadada while providing security tips during the summit called on the youths to shun drug abuse and avoid the temptation of allowing themselves to be used to foment trouble.
