President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said the federal
government of Nigeria was determined to tackle the problem of youth
unemployment in the country.
The president, who was represented at the 13th convocation
ceremony of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, said his government
would achieve this through steady funding of education, which he identified as
the bedrock of the socio-economic development of society.
Buhari, who is the institution’s visitor, was represented by
the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, at the event during
the conferment of the award of postgraduate and honourary degrees to beneficiaries.
The President said the federal government would remain
undaunted in tackling youth unemployment, assuring that he would give maximum
attention to education.
He said, “Let me at this point restate the conviction of the
federal government that education is the bedrock of the socio-economic
development of society. Consequently, within the limits of available resources, this government will continue to give a primary place to education.
“The federal government will remain undaunted in tackling
the challenge of youth unemployment and underemployment through a matrix of
initiatives: N-power, the Bank of Industry ‘s Youth Entrepreneurship Support
(YES) Programmes and the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Africa Support
Schemes. Please explore such opportunities.
“As part of its continuing efforts to stave off the menace
of youth employment, government has put in place a number of initiatives to
boost the employability of graduands of our tertiary institutions, either as
employees or in self-employment.
“These initiatives include, but not limited to, the
Energizing Education Programme, through the Rural Electricity Agency, the
intent of which is, inter alia, to provide captive power plants for selected
tertiary institutions, thus providing them with much needed uninterrupted power
supply; and the Skill G project by TETFund which provides computers, laboratory
equipment and other learning resources to tertiary institutions.
“I congratulate Nnamdi Azikiwe University for being a
beneficiary of these two landmark projects, which it attracted through its
commendable track record in infrastructural development.”
In his address, the Chancellor of the University and Gbong
Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba charged the graduands to make the difference for
good in any endeavours and communities they found themselves in haven been
equipped with knowledge, skills and values.
Commending Vice Chancellor Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, whose
five-year tenure would end next month, the Chancellor said, “Your
administration has moved the university tremendously forward in all facets of
the university: academic, infrastructural and administration.”
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ahaneku who reeled out his
achievement which elicited applause from the people thanked the federal
government for the opportunity given him to serve.
It was gathered that three distinguished Nigerians; the Obi
of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; Sir Emeka Offor of Chrome Group of companies
and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, presidential running mate to Chief MKO Abiola
in the 1991 election were conferred with honourary doctorate degrees.
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