Immediate past governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has appealed to government to build an economy that thrives on productivity, based on skill and entrepreneurial ability of youths. He insists that the status of those who get their hands dirty to eke a living must be elevated.
Fashola made this call at the second annual graduation of Skillup TVET Limited.
Skillup TVET Limited is a technical skill competency development initiative. It is an offshoot of a construction outfit.
Fashola spoke on: ‘Beyond skills training: Innovation for economic inclusion and sustainable development.’
The ceremony was combined with the launch of SkillUp Innovation and Incubation Centre (SIIC) which will help provide funds for scholarships for prospective students who cannot afford it.
Fashola, who was represented by Mrs Olusola Oworu, the state Commissioner of Commerce and Industry under the former governor’s administration, advised the graduands to be masters in their chosen fields
Fashola described their skills as productive rather than menial.
“Be the new master bakers, master mechanics, master plumbers, master tailors that represent the new Nigeria…,” he said.
“Indeed the world is not menial, it is productive. It is the sum total of our wealth and national gross domestic product (GDP) and also the defining line in our national balance sheet,” Fashola added.
The former governor challenged the graduands to rise above inferiority complex, saying those who produce nothing cannot lay claim to contributing to nation building.
In his speech, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the academy Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, said he is happy that what started so small has grown to the extent of being acknowledged by the City and Guilds of London, a professional entrepreneurship certification .
He said the academy had been given the permission to use their curriculum and partake in their examination.
Imoukhuede recalled how he was inspired to start the academy, owing to none or less capable and competent artisans to handle the firm’s menial jobs while constructing.
He said: “Construction companies had to rely on expatriates to do their menial jobs for them. In this case, there were lots of vacancies but less competent and capable hands to fill them”
Imoukhuede lamented the financial constraint of the academy, adding that it is only graduating 100 when it has the capacity to train over 1000 students at a time.
He said: “We need more funding so that we can support and train more people. Today only 113 students are graduating when we have capacity to train 1000 students, but the funding is not there to take this capacity.”
Renowned speaker, Adebola Wiliams, advised the graduands to chase success and never relent on being the best and master in whatever paths they have chosen to earn a living
Executive Director Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Olawunmi Gasper, condemned the society for looking down on artisans. He cautioned against calling them failures when they cannot do any of the things artisans do to help humanity and save the society.
Gasper said: “It is only in this country that we respect those who wear tie and look down on others. Nobody can take each other’s relevance. Artisans have to be given a chance. Also, parents and the society are at fault, as they have negative perception about those who do menial jobs and label them failures. But you cannot fix my car or plumbing, only they can.”
The best graduating student and youngest graduand in the 2015 class, Eric Ogbugo, advised other youths to concentrate on their studies.
The 16-year-old Rivers State trainee, who majored in Metal Machine, said aside taking the programme seriously, he had passion for the profession.