Ondo launches ‘One Youth One Skill’ project

As part of arrangements to commemorate the 2024 World Youth Skills Day, the Ondo State government on Monday launched the “One Youth One Skill” project to give youths the opportunity to develop valuable skills that can lead to employment or entrepreneurship.

Speaking during the inauguration of the project, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said the project is an innovative approach to help youths acquire the skills needed to be self-reliant and globally competitive.

Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, disclosed that the administration has concluded plans to ensure youths in the state are equipped with various skills.

He said, “Our administration has concluded arrangements to explore opportunities and partner with the private sector and other development partners to build the capacity of our teeming unemployed youth for sustainable job creation.

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“We are putting machinery in place to build two new model technical schools and upgrade the existing ones in the state to promote the acquisition of technical skills among our youths.”

He emphasized the need to promote investments in young people and develop youth-centric programs, which will continue to open up avenues for political participation and adequate youth representation in his government.

Speaking, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the Aiyedatiwa-led administration is living up to the expectations of young people in the state.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Empowerment and Job Creation, Orioye Gbayisemore, said the mandate of his office is to catalyze the empowerment of youths through multiple skills acquisition programs.

According to him, “From all indications, Mr. Governor has shown sufficient readiness to transform our youths into dependable drivers of peace and development, as captured in this year’s theme of World Youth Skills Day, which is ‘Youth Skills for Peace and Development.'”

Gbayisemore further revealed that the governor has re-equipped some of the skills acquisition centers in the state to provide conducive grounds for upskilling.

The guest speaker and notable entrepreneur, Abiola Obanoyen, urged the youths to learn a skill and take advantage of the opportunities being offered by the government of Ondo State.

Obanoyen tasked entrepreneurs in the state to organize themselves into clusters and build reliable networks of talents, stating that this will better position them for funding from both the private and public sectors.