Uba Sani building model skills hub for Nigeria, says Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has said the importation of skilled labour from West African and Asian countries must end with the establishment of the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development.

Mr Alausa stated this on Thursday during the maiden graduation ceremony of 5,050 trainees at the Balarabe Musa Campus of the institute in Rigachukun, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, the minister said industries operating in the country should begin to recruit graduates of the institute rather than relying on foreign skilled workers.

“Industries should come to Kaduna and recruit the graduates of this Vocational Training Institute,” he said.

Mr Bugaje, who represented the minister at the ceremony, lamented that Nigeria was still importing skilled manpower, including welders, scaffolders, integrity testers and construction workers, from countries across the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and Asia.

He said the development was unacceptable, particularly with the establishment of institutions such as the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development.

While commending Governor Uba Sani for establishing what he described as a hub for skills development in Nigeria, Mr Bugaje said industries had no justification for recruiting skilled workers from outside the country when qualified Nigerian graduates were available.

He also commended the governor for approving the use of the institute’s training manuals across the country.

According to him, the Minister of Education had written to Governor Sani seeking permission to adopt the institute’s training manuals as national documents, which the governor subsequently approved.

“This institute developed 14 different training manuals at different levels in the 14 trade areas.

“The Minister of Education wrote to the governor for permission to use those training manuals across Nigeria, and His Excellency gave the approval. They are now national documents being used across Nigeria,” Bugaje said.

The NBTE executive secretary disclosed that the institute had been accredited by the board and equipped with what he described as some of the best training facilities in the country.

He said the quality of equipment at the institute surpassed that of other major skills acquisition centres in the country.

“Not even the Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre in Kano comes close,” Mr Bugaje said.

He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as his commitment to empowering young Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who came with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is meant to empower young Nigerians. So, this is another propellant to this milestone achievement,” he said.

Mr Bugaje congratulated the 5,050 graduates, saying the NBTE had conferred on them the title of Uba Sani Skills Ambassadors, USSA.

He urged the graduates to use the knowledge and skills acquired at the institute to encourage other young Nigerians to embrace vocational training and become economically productive.

“I implore you to mobilise young people, bring them out of their distress, encourage them to come and register with this Skills Training Institute, so that their hopes can be renewed,” he said.