The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu during a sensitization meeting with stakeholders from different Agencies of the government, institutions and industries informed that the State is the first and presently the only state in Nigeria to be granted license by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to operate as a National Skills Qualifications (NSQ) Awarding Body.

According to the Commissioner, NSQ is nationally and internationally acceptable certificate that gives the recipient opportunity to get employment anywhere in world without stress, noting that the State government has also established three integrated Job Centers and Work Hubs in each of the Senatorial Districts of the State to operate as part of the Ogun State Skills Fund.

He noted that the job centres performs employment services to include Job searching, matching and fairs among others for the unemployed residents Of the state, adding that the work hub is a place where people can come to use or borrow equipment, hence providing opportunities to improve job efficiency and quality work delivery" Arigbabu said.

Prof. Arigbabu also said that the Prince Dapo Abiodun Administration is massively skilling and certifying youths of Ogun State in order to reduce the unemployment rate and eradicate poverty among the citizens of the State.

He recalled that over 42000 residents have been trained on basic and digital literacy business development and demand driven vocational skills such as masonry, garment making, carpentry, welding, hospitality and catering, cosmetology, Multimedia, cyber security, data analytics, software engineering through the Ogun State Skills Fund.

In his address, the Chairman, Ogun State House of Assembly Commission, Rt. Hon. Suraj Adekunbi said education without skills is not complete, appreciating the government for putting the programme together to help people out, on factors that hinders them from job opportunities, urging the participants to listen diligently and maximise the advantages of the event

Earlier in her welcome notes, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Oluwatosin Oloko stated that for people to be employable, they needed required skills, hence the various vocational and technical programmes organised by the government to help them acquire necessary skills.

During the overview, the Skills Development Specialist in charge of Ogun State Skills Fund and the Ogun State Skills Qualifications Board, Engr. Segun Fatoki said that the Ogun State Skils Fund ( including the Job centres) and the Skills qualifications board are part of the economic transformation been carried out by the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project.

The consultant commended the German and Swiss government for their support through the GIZ/Skye programme in establishing the job centers, informing the gathering that the NSQ was approved for integration into the Civil service by the National Council on Establishment in December 2023 .

Ayoola Obadimu

Information and Public Relations Officer, MOES&T