The President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) Eze, Sir Mike Elechi, NPOM, DSSRS, FNIM, JP has called on young graduates to be self reliant admist of scarce government jobs.
He made the clarion call during his speech at a one day capacity building workshop for youth in export organized by Nigerian Export Promotion Council in partnership with Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), he said that self employed business is the best option for young school leavers in order not to wait and waste their youthful time in search of non available government jobs.
The Chamber President maintained that Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and other degree awarding institutions turn out hundreds of graduates on yearly bases into the already saturated labour market with no ending hope, adding that government cannot employed all hence the need for the graduates especially the youth corp members to have a second skill and entrepreneurship.
He added that going into Agriculture which according to him has value chain where all classes of persons would fit in and could be another alternative where one could earn a living without waiting for anyone giving directives.
In his goodwill massage, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Lawson Ikuru represented by the Director of Commerce, Mr. Emmanuel Nwankwo commended NEPC for organising the workshop and encouraged the youth to take advantage of the programme to Develop Export business in the State. In his own goodwill message the Coordinator of National Youth Service Corp, (NYSC) Mr. George mfongang thanked the organizers of the workshop, adding that they also organize similar event where they teach the corpers on different skills.
The NYSC state Director who was represented by Coordinator of Gokhana local government, Mrs. Aalo Esther Barizaa said that the NYSC was satisfied with the program and are ready to partner with NEPC and PHCCIMA on the success of the workshop.
Also speaking the representative of the National Youth Council of Nigerian (NYSCN) Comrade David Apiafi explained that the youth body in Rivers state under the leadership of Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo is determined to lift good numbers of Rivers youths out of poverty level through their skills acquisition program, adding that the importance of non-oil sector cannot be overemphasized even as he said that they understand the dynamics of the country, hence the need to partner with the organizers.
Earlier in her speech, the Regional Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council NEPC represented by the Assistant Director, Mrs. Silver Adeniyi who is the head of Trade information of the agency said the essence of the program is to sensitize the youth on the rudiment of export and to create awareness to empower themselves through the non-oil Export culture.
The NEPC Coordinator further explained the need to create new crop of exporters that can continue to boost the non-oil sector in Nigeria, hence the need to encourage the youth to develop their mindset on the non- oil sector.
The one day capacity building workshop with the theme; Non-oil Export: Tool for Youth Empowerment, had technical section where resource persons gave verities of lectures.
