Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Mar 3, 2011 17:32:34 GMT 1
Umuahia — Catholic priest in charge of St. Joseph Skill Acquisition Centre, Catholic Diocese of Umuahia , the Rev. Father Kelvin Njoku, has raised alarm over the increasing rate at which youths shun skill acquisition , lamenting that the ugly development if unchecked portend danger signal to the society.
The clergyman, who made the observation in an exclusive interview with Daily Champion in Umuahia, regretted that the centre which was established in 1989 to provide free training to youths in various skills with initial 300 students has now declined to 19 students.
He lamented that the good intensions of the church in establishing the centre as part of its contribution in reducing the societal vices occasioned by unemployment, are being defeated as youth nowadays desert the centre for "quick money" jobs like 'Keke transport ' and 'Okada riding'.
Rev. Njoku, particularly regretted that youths from Abia State, rarely enroll at the centre while people from neighbouring Akwa Ibom state rather take advantage of the opportunity, and attributed it to impatience on the part of "the Igbo boys".
He said the centre has two major sections- wood work, and metal sections; while it has mid last year expanded to agriculture including piggery, poultry, rabbitry, snailing and grass cutter rearing.
The clergy man explained that the aim of the church was to empower jobless youths for self reliance, adding that so much money could be made through animal husbandry , which he regretted is often despised by the youths for non existent white collar jobs.
He therefore called on government and opinion leaders in society to champion a campaign to educate the youths on the need to acquire skills for self reliance adding that such a development will tremendously help in reducing the crime wave as most of the perpetrators will be positively engaged.
Adding his voice, the Manager in charge of farming section, Price Emeka Okafor, identified lack of fund as their major challenge, and appealed to government to assist them through its agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and Ministry of Niger Delta, so that it could meet up with the increasing market demand.
Learn more about grasscutter farming in Nigeria @ www.thethyconsulting.com/thebeautyofsnailfarming.htm
The clergyman, who made the observation in an exclusive interview with Daily Champion in Umuahia, regretted that the centre which was established in 1989 to provide free training to youths in various skills with initial 300 students has now declined to 19 students.
He lamented that the good intensions of the church in establishing the centre as part of its contribution in reducing the societal vices occasioned by unemployment, are being defeated as youth nowadays desert the centre for "quick money" jobs like 'Keke transport ' and 'Okada riding'.
Rev. Njoku, particularly regretted that youths from Abia State, rarely enroll at the centre while people from neighbouring Akwa Ibom state rather take advantage of the opportunity, and attributed it to impatience on the part of "the Igbo boys".
He said the centre has two major sections- wood work, and metal sections; while it has mid last year expanded to agriculture including piggery, poultry, rabbitry, snailing and grass cutter rearing.
The clergy man explained that the aim of the church was to empower jobless youths for self reliance, adding that so much money could be made through animal husbandry , which he regretted is often despised by the youths for non existent white collar jobs.
He therefore called on government and opinion leaders in society to champion a campaign to educate the youths on the need to acquire skills for self reliance adding that such a development will tremendously help in reducing the crime wave as most of the perpetrators will be positively engaged.
Adding his voice, the Manager in charge of farming section, Price Emeka Okafor, identified lack of fund as their major challenge, and appealed to government to assist them through its agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and Ministry of Niger Delta, so that it could meet up with the increasing market demand.
Learn more about grasscutter farming in Nigeria @ www.thethyconsulting.com/thebeautyofsnailfarming.htm
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