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Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, has said that Nigeria needs new ideologies to tackle unemployment which he said: “is a national concern”.
The Minister who made the submission at a two-day training on photography for Abia youths organised by Fawole Oluwadamilare, Special Adviser to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Olamilekan Adeqbiti, said youths needed creative skills for self-reliance.
Ogah who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Kelechi Ekugo, expressed his unwavering support for any initiative for youth empowerment.
He urged the participants to take the training seriously, affirming that youths can earn a living through creative skills.
In a remark, Oluwadamilare who is also the personal photographer to the Minister said his target was to train about 1,850 youths across the country at 50 youths per state.
He said that the gesture which was his own little way of affecting the lives of many jobless Nigerian youths through skill acquisition noted that one could actually earn a decent living through photography.
Oluwadamilare who said he was up to 2017 struggling to survive until he acquired skill in photography, encouraged youths to acquire a skill in addition to their academic qualifications.
“Nigeria is becoming overpopulated and if you have no skill you may not make it. Good skills like photography create Job opportunities and I want the youths to take advantage of this”.
The training which began in Nasarawa State, according to him is expected to cover the six geopolitical zones of the country before the end of the year.
He lauded his boss, Architect Adeqbiti, for his supports of the vision while saying that he is open to partnership with the interested bodies.
The President of Professional Photographers Association, Abia State, Mr Dende Enyide, thanked Oluwadamilare for the training which he said, had widened the mental horizon of the participants.
He lauded the trainers for the impactful lectures which he said had brought them up to speed with modern trends in photography.
The highlight of the event was the handover of the Canon EOS 600D camera to Chibuike Onyejiakor, a graduate of Industrial Relations, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, a trainee who took the best photography during a practical session.
Madusouth Okechukwu of Abia State University Uturu; and Stephen Ogar from Cross River who finished second and third respectively also went home with consolation prizes.
A total of 60 youths from Abia participated in the training.
