From Samaila Bayo, Birnin Kebbi
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning has said over 60 per cent of the Technical and Vocational Education Training graduates under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) are already starting up businesses and securing employment in the country.
The Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Sampson Ebimaro disclosed this at a one- day evaluative workshop on the NPRGS program by the ministry in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. He said the NPRGS being a key government initiative was designed to accelerate national development by lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade through four core pillars of macroeconomic stabilization, industrialization, trade and growth, and redistributive programs.
He said these have been strategically implemented through five critical components,agriculture for food and job programme (AFJP) to enhancing food security and rural employment by providing smallholder farmers with improved agricultural inputs, training, and financial support. "Others are technical and Vocational education and training (TVET) programme to equip young Nigerians with employable skills for self-reliance and sustainable job creation.
"Rural roads construction programme: expanding connectivity and improving market access for rural communities to drive local economies and productivity improvement programme, training and skill acquisition programme for the empowering of citizens with essential vocational skills to enable sustainable livelihoods", he said.
He added that the recent field evaluation finding carried out has highlighted a 25 -30 percent increase in crop yields, over 60 percent of TVET graduates securing employment or starting businesses, and enhanced rural road infrastructure.
He said this had significantly boosted economic activities and access to essential services, saying that at the end of day the evaluative workshop would be used to triangulate the report of the field evaluation.
" I urge all stakeholders to be open, analytical, and forward-thinking in their contributions", he said.
The Permanent Secretary, represented by Mrs Ayinde-Yakubu Olasumbo, the Director National Minitoring and Evaluation Department of the ministry, reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth, job creation and national prosperity.
Earlier, some beneficiaries of the Industrial Training Fund( ITF) in agriculture, electrical installation, poultry and tilling under the NPRGS program recounts their success stories after their training.
