Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
July 24, 2015 – The Lagos State Government has inaugurated the first Youth Entrepreneurship club in all technical and vocational centres across the state.
The club is intended to promote entrepreneurial spirit among students and youths and make them develop strong business sense. The Youth Entrepreneurial Club which currently operates was inaugurated as part of activities to mark 2015 Enterprise Day.
Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode said that government created Ministry of Employment and Wealth Creation as part of effort to give identity to unemployed youths in the state and also provide business support services for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the state.
Speaking through his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, the governor added that his administration remains committed towards improving the lives of the people, through creation of employment, improved standard of living, noting however that the key to such opportunities lies in acquiring skills in vocational and technical education as it is obtainable in bigger economies all over the world.
“Our administration is committed to promoting and encouraging the acquisition of technical and vocational skills as a major instrument for youth empowerment. We have followed up on this with the creation of a new ministry that will be saddled with the responsibilities of wealth creation and employment opportunities”, the governor stated.
He reminded the audience of the enormous potentials available for those who acquire skills in vocations, adding that such potentials are available to be explored both in the private and public sector, as there is high demand for technical skills in the state and which sometimes necessitates sourcing for skilled professionals from neighbouring countries to fill the gap.
He challenged graduates, non-graduates and other unemployed youths in the state to also strive to acquire a vocational or technical skill rather than continue to look for limited and most times, unavailable jobs, in order to benefit from the enormous opportunities available in the informal sector to make a living for themselves and contribute to the economy of the state and country.
“I want to use this opportunity to encourage our teeming youths to embrace technical and vocational education. Brighter days lie ahead of you as this administration will give you all the necessary support to succeed”, he assured.
Earlier in his address, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Engr Olawunmi Gasper stated that the celebration of the Enterprise Day is an annual event which promotes networking of successful entrepreneurs with young aspiring entrepreneurs from the technical colleges in a one day interactive forum.
The Executive Secretary added that since 2013 when the first edition was held, hundreds of students from the state’s vocation training colleges and also from outside of the state have shared from the experiences of successful entrepreneurs while also learning different business ideas and tips in order to become successful employers of labour.
Gasper noted that the focus of the Year 2015 Enterprise Day, ‘stimulating entrepreneurial mind-set and evoking entrepreneurial spirit in the youths’, is followed up with the launch of the Youth Entrepreneurship Club in all the State’s technical colleges, to provide a platform for the students to develop an entrepreneurship spirit and have a strong economic and business sense.
There were presentations from various entrepreneurs on the practical steps needed by students to start-up and sustain new businesses through the skills they have acquired from the technical colleges.
