ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday inaugurated the Office of the Vice-President-Generation Unlimited (OVP-GenU) Secretariat to drive youth empowerment initiatives across the country.
The Generation Unlimited Nigeria programme, a UNICEF-led Public-Private-Youth Partnership, aims to connect 20 million young Nigerians to education, skills, and livelihood opportunities by 2030.
Speaking at the inauguration, Shettima said the secretariat would fast-track implementation of the programme and strengthen collaboration among government agencies.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia, he explained that the secretariat would help align skills development with the needs of communities and industries.
READ ALSO:Shettima Reaffirms Press Freedom
He added that this would be achieved through a transparent process designed to ensure easy access for all participants.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, said the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme.
According to him, it will accelerate the Federal Government’s efforts to stimulate local economies by targeting 8,809 electoral wards nationwide.
The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, said the vice-president’s vision has provided strategic direction for the secretariat’s mandate.
She assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would adopt the GenU programme as a technical guide, especially in conducting a skills census.
She added that the results would be integrated into the ministry’s planning for vocational and skills development.
The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Abdelatef, described the hosting of the secretariat within the Office of the Vice-President as a clear demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to youth development.
She noted that Nigeria is showing leadership across the continent, particularly in maximising initiatives that drive job creation.
She also pledged UNICEF’s continued support for the GenU initiative, especially “in bringing in technical expertise in specific programmes”.
The Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, highlighted the programme’s potential to reduce youth unemployment.
He said the initiative would leverage existing government platforms and programmes to achieve its objectives.
Adekunle-Johnson further pledged to utilise the Shared Hubs initiative under the National MSME Clinics to expand skills acquisition across various sectors.
(NAN)