Ondo State Launches “One Youth One Skill” Project for World Youth Skills Day

As part of arrangements to commemorate the 2024 World Youth Skills Day, the Ondo State government on Monday launched the “One Youth One Skill” project. This initiative aims to provide youths with opportunities to develop valuable skills for employment or entrepreneurship.

During the project inauguration, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, emphasized that the project is an innovative approach to help youths become self-reliant and globally competitive. He stated, “Our administration has concluded arrangements to explore opportunities and partner with the private sector and other development partners to build the capacity of our teeming unemployed youth for sustainable job creation.”

Additionally, Governor Aiyedatiwa revealed plans to build two new model technical schools and upgrade existing ones to promote technical skills acquisition among youths in the state.

The state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, highlighted the administration’s commitment to meeting the expectations of young people in the state. Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Empowerment and Job Creation, Orioye Gbayisemore, also reiterated the administration’s dedication to youth empowerment through various skills acquisition programs. “Mr. Governor has shown sufficient readiness to transform our youths into dependable drivers of peace and development, as captured in this year’s theme of World Youth Skills Day, ‘Youth Skills for Peace and Development,’” Gbayisemore stated.

Notable entrepreneur and guest speaker, Abiola Obanoyen, encouraged youths to take advantage of the government’s opportunities by learning new skills. She also urged entrepreneurs to organize into clusters and build reliable networks of talents to better position themselves for funding from both private and public sectors.

The “One Youth One Skill” project is a significant step towards promoting youth investment and developing youth-centric programs, ensuring political participation and adequate youth representation in Ondo State’s governance.