From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Students in tertiary institutions in Benue State have been charged to make right choices and take action in acquiring skills rather than rely on certificates.
Group Managing Director Benue Investment and Property Company, BIPC Dr Raymond Asemakaha gave the charge during the Students Turning point program organized by the company for students of Moses Orshio Adasu University, MOAUM formerly Benue State University, BSU held at the College of Health Sciences, Makurdi.
Dr Asemakaha who lamented that there are over 1.7 million unemployed persons in the State, decried that over 40 percent of jobs in the State are given to outsiders because of lack skllled labor in the state.
He said there must be shift and urged the students to brace up for the future by acquiring skills.
“Said he, “I encourage you to be creative. When I aasumed as GMD BIPC, I discovered that there is a knowledge gap in terms of skill and all the industries we are building do not have the desired skill, most of them we hire from outside. We want our people to begin to pluck into the business and skill space so that they would be able to take up those jobs.
“We understand that this institution Moses Otshio Adasu University Makurdi, MOAUM enrolment of new students for this year is about 8,100. Now, if they graduate where do they go to? We want the students to be part of the skill and jobs so that there be would be job availability. Education is okay and getting certificate is also ok but skill is the future currency. And you must position yourselves for this currency.
“We have factories and those who work there are from outside so we want our people to key into what we are doing. We are paying a Chinese 250 dollars everyday. Imagine if our indigenes have that knowledge, he will transfer it back. So, that is the model we are driving. We are targeting alot. We are pursuing a law on Start Up act to domesticate it so that when they have the knowledge, they can assess funds. Job availability is not there and as such there is a looming job crisis so they need to position themselves and be abreast with the current realities”.
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