From Taofiq Jimoh Adeniyi, Ilorin
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology in Kwara state, Hajia Sa’adat Moddibbo Kawu has decried youths’ apathy to entrepreneurship skills with an assurance that the ministry will not rest on its oars in encouraging active participation in entrepreneurship training for the youths.
Speaking on Monday at a workshop organised by the ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology for students in tertiary institutions across the state with the aim to sensitize students/lecturers in all Tertiary Institutions in Kwara state on Entrepreneurship, Technology and Innovation, the commissioner described entrepreneurship as a major source to eradicate unemployment in the society.
In her words, “the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria saddens my heart, and more painful is that efforts to get out of this unpleasant situation through programmes such as entrepreneurship are not appreciated or embraced by those concerned.
“The reports available to us indicate that despite seminars, workshop and opportunities created for students to engage in productive entrepreneurial ventures, the attitude of most young people to such platforms created are not encouraging, maybe because they have not really understood the importance and the power in entrepreneurship and like it is said, ‘when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable”.
The Commissioner who said governments at both the federal and state level are interested in entrepreneurship for youths noted that the major reason people shy away from entrepreneurship is lack of the zeal to take risk.
While acknowledging that entrepreneurship has its own risks she explained that readiness to take risk, self decipline, perseverance and creativity are key elements needed to be a successful entrepreneur.
Speaking in the same vein, the Director Science and Technology Mrs. Christina Olaosebikan acknowledged that the society is fast growing and so both positive and negative tendencies had been imbibed in the process of development.
According to her, youths would rather opt for white collar jobs, where they are offered salary, than work with their hands in making money.
She explained that this is the cause for the prevelence of fraudulent money schemes, armed robbery and kidnapping and other vices.
The Director described entrepreneurship as the life wire of any economy pointing out that founders of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises are undeniably natural assets who are contributing in no small measures to virtually all facets of the economy.
In his presentation at the workshop, a lecture at the Kwara State University, Dr. Issa Abdulraheem noted that the inefficiency of the public sector contributed immensely to the ill growth of entrepreneurship in the society.
He said entrepreneurship in public sector is highly neglected and stressed the importance of making public institutions firm in the area of entrepreneurship. He noted that this will give young aspiring entrepreneurs platforms to earnestly pursue their potentials.
News Hub Mag! reports that the CEO, Xtre-Mechanical Academy, Mr. Adrian Bolarin, in his presentation, encouraged youths to always think about how they will add value to the society, according to him, ‘when you have value, money chases you around.’
