Abia to partner industrialists to create employment

as education for employment scheme starts this month

Abia State government says it is interested in partnering the industrial sector in the state, especially those in Aba, its commercial hub, to create jobs for the unemployed in the state.

This is as Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Tuesday, announced plans to commence the Education for Employment (E4E) programme, instituted by his administration, to produce skilled manpower for industries, this month.

Governor Ikpeazu, in his address at the flag-off of the industrial business registration component of the E4E programme, held at the premises of Beauty Base Industries (Udeagbala) Limited, Aba, said the forum was in continuation of the process that his administration embarked upon to ensure that youths of Abia State were gainfully employed.

He observed that industrialists in Aba and Abia State as a whole were integral to the success of the E4E scheme, as the scheme was designed to train youths who had been imbued with various skills and technical abilities required by industries.

In his words: “Today, we are interfacing with the business community in Abia State to get you on board in the education for employment programme and solicit your full participation in the success of the programme.

“We are banking on a synergy between the training programme and the skill sets required by the industries for the success of the programme, therefore we encourage industrialists in Abia State to cooperate with the consultants of the E4E programme.”

Represented at the forum by his deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu, Ikpeazu, urged the organised private sector in Abia State to continue to partner his administration, to address the developmental challenges faced by the state.

According to Ikpeazu, the state government is ready to work with the industrial sector in a symbiotic relationship, to have regular interactions where you can tell us what government can do to make your businesses flourish.

“This is a caring and business friendly administration. We will support you to ensure that the economy of the State is buoyant.

He explained that the State Government had already begun the revitalization of technical and vocational education in the state, even before President Mohammadu Buhari’s order at the federal level.

“Most of you who follow national news development would have read in the papers that our president has ordered the revitalization of technical and vocational education in our schools, nationwide, however, the Abia State government had already begun the programme, even before it became a national issue. We saw the light before others did.

“Every month our allocation from the federal revenue keeps dwindling, not only that of Abia State, but also the entire 36 States of the Federation, including the Federal Government.

“Our people need jobs and we have to keep our State afloat and that is why we are very serious about this programme, “he affirmed.

Endi Ezengwa, coordinator of E4E, revealed that the coordinating office of the programme, has received about 35,000 completed application forms from the 17 Local Government Areas of the State, which are being processed to have a clear view of the interest of the applicants.

“The governor says he wants to create 100,000 jobs in four years, so it is not one of those programmes you rush in order to get votes, it is a programme that we will painstakingly do, to make a lasting impact on our system, “ he said.