……..Targets sustainable livelihoods
By Tolulope Eniola
Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has flagged off a free trade test certification programme for 500 young artisans in the state, as part of efforts to equip them with recognised credentials and create pathways to sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative, which covers electricians, automobile technicians and other skilled workers, is aimed at formally validating the artisans’ expertise, improving their employability and competitiveness, and opening access to wider economic opportunities.
The governor spoke on Tuesday at the Adegbemile Culture Centre, Akure, during the flag-off of the certification programme, where he was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti.
Aiyedatiwa said the programme was designed to move skilled artisans from informal practice to recognised professional competence, noting that artisans played significant roles in the socio-economic development of the state.
He stressed that skills acquired without proper assessment and certification could limit the opportunities available to their holders, adding that formal certification would provide evidence of competence and strengthen employers’ and customers’ confidence in the quality of services rendered.
“The world of work is changing rapidly, and those who continually upgrade their skills will remain relevant,” he said.
The governor urged the beneficiaries to see the certificates as evidence of competence, professionalism, integrity and commitment to excellence, rather than merely as documents.
He also charged them to continue learning, embrace modern technology and maintain high professional standards, while warning them against exploiting members of the public.
Aiyedatiwa said his administration would continue to support technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation as part of its broader youth development agenda.
He disclosed that the state’s technical colleges were being rehabilitated and equipped with infrastructure to provide vocational and entrepreneurial training.
The governor further pledged stronger collaboration with development organisations, the private sector and relevant federal institutions to expand opportunities for young people.
According to him, the certification programme formed part of a broader strategy to enable young artisans to transform their skills into sustainable businesses and livelihoods.
“It is my belief that this programme will birth a new generation of certified, competent and professionally responsible artisans who will contribute meaningfully to the economic transformation and development of Ondo State and Nigeria,” he said.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Adult, Technical and Vocational Education, Ogbeni Tayo Oluyi, urged the beneficiaries to regard the certification as a springboard for professional growth and improved livelihoods.
Oluyi said the exercise would formally recognise their skills and create pathways to decent employment and meaningful participation in the labour market.
He said the beneficiaries would undergo technical sessions under the programme and urged them to maximise the opportunity.
The SSA appreciated GIZ, the SSC volunteers and other partners for supporting the initiative, particularly their contributions to the work of the Board for Adult and Vocational Education.
He also commended the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for its collaboration with the board.
Oluyi explained that while technical colleges were under the Board for Adult and Vocational Education, certificates obtained from the colleges were issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“This collaboration demonstrates what can be achieved when institutions work together towards a common goal,” he said.
Also speaking, the General Manager of GIZ Centre for Migration and Development, Ayo Olubode, said the certification could open both local and international opportunities for the artisans.
Olubode said GIZ had partnered with the Ondo State Government since 2019, with youth development as a major focus of the collaboration.
He explained that the centre was mandated to build partners’ capacity to provide migration career advice to young Nigerians and create employment opportunities.
According to him, the Young Migration Advisors programme also provides reintegration assistance to Nigerians returning from Germany and other countries.
Olubode commended the Ondo State Board of Technical and Vocational Education for providing artisans who had acquired skills but remained uncertified with an opportunity to obtain formal trade test certification.
He said the certification was recognised in Nigeria and countries including Canada, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia, adding that Nigerians had used it to pursue opportunities abroad.
“You don’t know what you carry. You don’t know what you hold, because this certificate is very important, not just for local opportunity but also for international opportunities,” he said.
He said the collaboration among GIZ, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ondo State Government and the Artisan Association demonstrated how partnerships could translate ideas into practical programmes.
The Ondo State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Olanike Mogboruko, said the changing world of work had increased the demand for technical and vocational skills.
Mogboruko identified solar energy and other renewable energy technologies as emerging areas with opportunities for skills development, entrepreneurship and employment.
She said the ministry’s mandate extended beyond labour administration and industrial relations to include decent employment, skills development, occupational standards and the promotion of a productive workforce.
She commended the state government, the Board of Technical and Vocational Education and development partners for supporting initiatives that link skills acquisition with certification and labour market opportunities.
In his goodwill message, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor, Dr Kola Falohun, charged the beneficiaries to use their certification to improve their professionalism and livelihoods.
Falohun urged them not to use the certification as a basis for increasing their service charges, noting that the government expected them to make their services more affordable after receiving the certification free of charge.
“Though much is given, much more is expected,” he said.
He advised beneficiaries who still had gaps in their skills to seek further training and improve their competence, saying their performance would determine the extent of further government support.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Empowerment, Fadesola Ojamomi, described the exercise as an investment in the capacity, dignity and economic future of young people.
She said the certification would provide young artisans with recognised credentials capable of improving their employability, entrepreneurship opportunities and competitiveness.
Ojamomi commended the collaboration among the Board of Adult Technical and Vocational Education, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and GIZ, and pledged continued support for initiatives promoting youth empowerment, employability and job creation.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Volunteer Service, Adeolu Iwakun, commended the governor for the initiative, saying the administration’s investment in youths extended beyond skills acquisition.
Iwakun noted that the governor had recently employed young people in the health and education sectors, describing the initiatives as deliberate investments in the future of the state’s youths.
He urged the beneficiaries to apply their skills responsibly and extend similar opportunities to others.
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