By Jonathan Ugbal
Martins Orim, the Chief of Staff to the immediate past Governor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade says there is an urgent need for the federal government to review her curriculum to teach marketable and problem-solving skills and stop the emphasis placed on certificates alone.
Orim, who served one time as a Deputy Leader of the Obudu council legislature, stated this during the presentation of start-up kits to empower 45 graduates of a skills training program organized by the G.F.O Orim Foundation in partnership with the Her Voice Foundation and the Industrial Training Fund National Industrial Skills Development Programme in Obudu on Monday.
“There is a need for the federal government to return to the drawing board and look at education. They have to revisit the curriculum of the education sector. The federal government has trained too many graduates to do white collar jobs in this country,” Orim said, pointing out that there are too many graduates with certificates and no white-collar jobs.
“If I can remember, the last time they did employment in this council is as far back as 2001. Since 2001, there has been no employment here, yet we turn out graduates from Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Universities, what are they supposed to do?
“Government needs to go back and look at the productive sector and begin to turn our institutions to those that will produce professionals and not certificate holders. Professionals who can hold tools, and turn around our society for the better.”
Orim who lamented that most of the start-up kits are imported, when they can be manufactured in Nigeria, added that, “we have Nigerians with brains, who can do everything, we have youths, vibrant youths. Let Nigerian return to the drawing board and see that we have a better society for our people.”
Earlier, the Head of Training, Calabar Area office of the ITF, Engr. Suleiman Abdul who represented the Area manager, said all the beneficiaries have been trained to the standards of the ITF and now have certificates to that effect.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the occasion and member representing Ogoja constituency in the 10th Cross River House of Assembly, Engr. Thomas Aruku commended Orim who is the Chairman of the G.F.O Orim foundation for the consistency in the empowerment scheme.
“For you to persist even out of office, until now, it is commendable. Even if you were pretending, it would have ceased by now, but we are here for the sixth edition, Aruku said, adding that; “We have gathered much more in this edition because this is better, and the people here are more than the 5th edition.”
To the beneficiaries, he said, “count me as your mentor. Count me in when you want patronage, and count me in if you have a challenge in the course of your work moving forward. I will be there for you.”
Ilu Janet, a member of staff of Her Voice Foundation, in her remarks commended the G.F.O Orim foundation for finding them worthy as partners and disclosed that the majority of the beneficiaries were teenage mothers. She sought the support of the foundation for follow-up to ensure the beneficiaries stabilize as they venture out, which Mr. Orim agreed.
For Fatima Onu, a trainee who spoke on behalf of others, the training is the best way to ensure women and teenage girls actually become independent and not fall victims to wayward partners.
“I already have a shop, I believe this is the best way to go to ensure women dont see marriage as the only means to financial freedom,” she told CrossRiverWatch in an interview.
Out of the trainees drawn from Obudu, Obanliku and Bekwarra Local Government Areas, 30 were trained as beauticians while 15 were trained in solar installations for a period of three months each.
See pictures from the event…
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