Edo State Commissioner for Youth and Humanitarian Affairs, Hon. Zubairu Dada Abubakar, has commended Skillup Naija for directing the energies of youths positively away from indulging in social vices.
The commissioner, who made the commendation during a courtesy call to his office by officials of Skillup Naija and contestants currently contesting for cash prizes of over N2 million in the Edo State Teens Craft Competition (Edocraft 2024), said the Ministry will collaborate with Skillup Naija to ensure that the youths are occupied.
According to the commissioner, “When the young ones are positively occupied, they will not involve themselves in social vices like cultism, drug abuse and cybercrime. I am very impressed with the demonstration by the contestants in the Teens Craft Competition and it is an indication that there is still hope in Edo State and Nigeria in general.
“The best way to catch them young is to assist them actualize their potentials and that is what Skillup Naija is doing. Our job is to give the youths hope and that is why we and other Ministries in the state are going to collaborate with Skillup Naija.”
The Director, Skillup Naija. Dr. Kenneth Otidi, said the organization was set up to promote and encourage young minds that are skilful, noting, “The Edo Teens Enterprise Campaign (EdoTEC-Project Catch them Young) is a comprehensive initiative designed to Skillup and empower young Edo sons and daughters, through sensitization programmes on skills development, creative and innovative competitions, shape and personality testing and entrepreneurship training using the Skillup Naija craft educational resource, ‘Skills to Wealth: A complete Entrepreneurship Guide to Turn Skills to Wealth.’
“This project will run for a period of six months with a tour round the 18 local government areas, and it aims to directly impact at least 50,000 young sons and daughters of Edo currently on the streets and those that will be graduating from our public secondary schools by August this year.
“The mission is to ignite the spirit of innovation and enterprise in them, by empowering them with the necessary skills and resources to become future leaders and job creators as they prepare to graduate from high school.”
He disclosed that the flag-off ceremony of this campaign will take place at the Convocation Arena, Benson Idahosa University, off Upper Adesuwa Grammar School Road on Friday, May 3, 2024.
Some of the contestants demonstrated what they have created to the admiration of the Commissioner for Youth and Humanitarian Affairs.
The director continued by stating that the flag-off ceremony of this campaign will gather stakeholders from various sectors, including education, business, and politics. According to him, the event promises to be very inspiring, featuring skills development and entrepreneurship induction from guest speakers, interactive workshops, exhibition of mind-blowing craft innovative works from young edolites, presentation of cash prizes to the three top winners from the just concluded “Edo State Teens Craft Competition” (EDOCRAFT 2024), etc. The highpoint of the ceremony will witness a formal unveiling of EDOTEC (project catch them young), and the free distribution of the craft educational resource, “Skills to Wealth ” to the first batch of 1,000 Edo young minds that will be present. Skillup Naija will also be unveiling a free six-month entrepreneurship training scheme for all 50,000 recipients, to help them identify their core skill of interest and how to apply the principles outlined in the book to real-life entrepreneurial endeavours. Immediately after the flag off, the campaign will continue to all the LGA’s of our great state.
