3RD LAGOS EMPLOYMENT SUMMIT: “We can create more jobs by using local resources,” says Olawande
Oru Leonard
Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has called upon all stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and business owners, to collaborate and explore the untapped potentials of resources within local communities across Nigeria to create meaningful job opportunities and drive sustainable economic growth for the nation as a whole.
The Minister made this known while giving a goodwill message at the third Edition of the Lagos State Employment Summit held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos State.
Olawande highlighted the untapped potentials within local communities across the country, stressing that these areas possess a wealth of natural, cultural, and human resources.
According to him, “There is no way the government alone can achieve the difficult task of creating employment for our increasing youth population. Similarly, the private sector cannot do it alone either. Therefore, there is a need for deeper and deliberate collaboration to harmonize resources and human capital to deliver the much-needed jobs.”
Emphasizing that almost every local government area in Nigeria has a comparative advantage in producing one type of product or another, Olawande stressed the need for a more intentional and strategic collaboration among various entities, such as government agencies, private sector organizations and educational institutions, to harness these local strengths for employment and economic development initiatives.
Participants speaking at the summit praised the Minister’s job creation initiatives, especially his efforts to re-skill the youth for the evolving job market with his “one youth, two skills” program.
Organized by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), the event brought together stakeholders in both the private and public sectors to discuss how to enhance job creation through public-private collaboration.
Attended by dignitaries and important private sector players, including the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as well as the Founder of GTB, Fola Adeola, the summit served as a platform to review various job creation strategies and discuss opportunities for collaboration between the private and public sectors.
(FMYD Press)
