Yahaya Bello tasks African leaders on youth entrepreneurship

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has called on African leaders to devote sufficient resources to raising outstanding business leaders in youths as a means of bringing more innovation to society.

Bello made the call on Saturday in Lagos while receiving the Hive Africa Inclusion Award 2021 for his unwavering support towards women development in Africa.

Abdulkareem Suleiman, Special Adviser on Special Projects to the governor disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

The governor stated that entrepreneurship gives young people opportunities for excellence and success as business owners and managers.

Bello, who represented by Suleiman, acknowledged that the role of entrepreneurship in building global economies for sustainable development could not be overemphasized.

He disclosed the efforts of his administration in strengthening entrepreneurship among women and youth of Kogi, saying it was aggressively focusing on the advancement of modern technological knowledge.

He noted that his administration had done a lot in upgrading the core business education available to Kogi citizens especially the youth.

“We have revamped facilities for business education in our tertiary institutions. We are aggressively focusing on the advancement of modern technological knowledge with a vocational application, including business.

“In December last year, we founded the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara.

“CUSTECH, which is a world-class STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) complex has since commenced academic activities.

“The business curriculum there is designed to train students for enhanced success as entrepreneurs.

“At Obajana, Kogi State, we are taking advantage of the Dangote Foundation/VDMA Centre for Vocational Studies where some of the best training and internship opportunities in engineering, technology and business in the country exist.

“At Lokoja the state capital, precisely within the premises of the Kogi State Polytechnic, the Kogi State and South Korean Governments are collaborating on the Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology (NKFI).

“The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) which oversees NKFI on behalf of the partnership is renowned for cutting-edge interventions as a development partner,” Bello said.

He said that the graduates of the programmes would be equipped with knowledge and innovations to breed the nucleus of a technologically advanced Kogi and Nigeria.