LAGOS: Ambode Tasks Fresh Graduates To Develop Entrepreneurial Skills

Akinwunmi Ambode

LAGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has tasked fresh graduates in the country to transit from the trend of white collar jobs to creating wealth thereby positioning themselves strategically towards becoming employers of labour rather than settling for employees.

Ambode who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule at the 24^th Convocation ceremony of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu on Thursday was the special guest of honour.

He emphasized that the present situation in the country indicates urgent need for young graduates to take the bull by the horn knowing that the white collar jobs they looked up to are rarely found as well as unsecured.

Furthermore, the governor noted that the state government strategically established the Employment Trust Fund with a concomitant facility of N25 Billion to aid empowerment particularly to small and medium scale entrepreneurs.

“Nigerian youths must accept the reality of the critical economic period that the nation is undergoing. This period requires innovations and entrepreneurial skills that will make everybody a contributor to the growth of the economy, rather than relying on paid employment which may never come. The high rate of unemployment among qualified graduates is an indication that there is need for economic diversification in which the nation will locally produce a large number of goods consumed by the people and import less to strengthen the economy.

“Our administration has established an Employment Trust Fund to which we are committing N25bn in four years to address the challenge of access to soft loans. The major trust of the fund is to support young people, especially fresh graduates, with innovative ideas that can be delivered into business enterprise. So, you should make use of the opportunity by coming out with new ideas that can help you to create jobs and contribute to the growth of the Lagos economy”, Ambode said.

The governor also stated that his administration has prioritized education in its policies and therefore assured that he will continue to promote education across the state particularly academic curriculum that aligns with vocational training and skill acquisition for its students.

On the convocation, the Rector of the institution, Mr. Samuel Sogunro stated that a total of 8,519 students will be conferred with various certificates having successfully met their respective requirements, and therefore charged them to be good ambassadors of the institution which he said has been in existence since 1978 with graduates sprang across all the sectors of the economy including the public sector.