German govt’s support for Edo skills devt drive gets Obaseki’s nod
By Olivia Nnorom
The Edo State government has acknowledged the role of the German government in supporting the state’s skills development, job creation and youth development programmes.
The government said the support from the German government, among other things, is helping Edo State to expand the frontiers of technical education, embark on training programmes, and support the creative industry.
Godwin Obaseki, the state governor, who spoke in Lagos at a dinner hosted by Weert Borner, Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany, and his wife, Imke Borner, to celebrate the Day of German Unity, applauded the faith and confidence that the German Consulate reposed in the Edo State government.
Obaseki expressed appreciation for the German government’s unwavering belief in the state’s mandate to empower Edo youths, equipping them with the tools and skills to compete effectively in the 21st century knowledge-driven economy.
“The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Agency for International Cooperation GmbH (GIZ) through the SKYE programme have provided support for numerous youth development programmes in Edo State,” Obaseki said.
“These include support for development and implementation of training programmes across the three senatorial districts of the state; support for the creative industry and the setting up of job centres in Benin, Uromi, Uzairue and Usen, paving way for youths to acquire essential skills necessary to sustain their livelihoods,” he said.
The governor expressed delight with the support from the German government, which he said has gone a long way in helping to rehabilitate, resettle and reintegrate victims of human trafficking and illegal migration and also in strengthening institutions in the state to groom the youths for the future world of work.
“Through support from the German government, we are expanding the frontiers of technical education in the state and leveraging their input in building at least one technical college in each of the 18 local councils in our state,” Obaseki said.
“This will, in no small measure, accelerate the drive to build a robust human capital base to drive industrial growth in the wake of the rise in investment in industries occasioned by the industrial and institutional reforms pioneered in the state over the last six years,” he said.
He expressed confidence that Edo State has “good allies in the good people of Germany, as we continue to consolidate on the very robust, mutually beneficial partnership we have established these past years”.
“I say a very big thank you to our hosts, the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Weert Börner and his wife, Dr. Imke, for such a wonderful evening of strengthening the ties between your country and Nigeria, especially Edo State,” Obaseki said.