By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No fewer than 40,000 youths are expected to benefit from a skill empowerment programme put in place by the Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki.
At the launch of the scheme on Sunday in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mr Saraki said he was moved to do this as his own way to helping the government tackle unemployment problem in the country.
According to the Senate President, the initiative tagged ‘Skill Acquisition, Training and Empowerment Programme (STEP)’, will ensure 40,000 youths are trained in the next four years “with advanced skills that will focus on computer engineering, software development, animation, cinematography, agriculture and other areas that can boost self-employment.”
At the launching of the programme, the Senate President explained that the goal of STEP was to make participants globally competitive in the sectors for which they will be trained.
Also speaking at the occasion, National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji AbdulHameed Adi, praised Mr Saraki for the laudable scheme and urged other public office holders to emulate the Senate President.
He said if others do like the Senate President, the society would be a better place.
Meanwhile, Mr Saraki has expressed optimism that STEP would go a long way to empower youths in Kwara State and Nigeria at large.
