Date: 2016-11-23

Senate President Bukola Saraki has urged political leaders to empower towards the reduction of high unemployment rate in the country.

Besides, Saraki the former governor of Kwara state urged the state government to continue to make the youth empowerment the main trust of its administration.

The Senate President spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at the inauguration ceremony of the first batch of beneficiaries of the skills acquisition, training and empowerment programme he introduced.

He said: "It is my hope that from today as well different leaders from all parts of the country will emulate what we are doing and play their role by creating opportunities for our youths.

"I also urge the state government to continue to play special programmes to all the youths and other similar programmes. I want to also appeal to the Kwara state House of Assembly Speaker to look at laws that will can do that can help to create opportunities for a lot of youths who after they get their certificates and they start work so that they have customers to buy their products.

"This is the reason 8th Senate passed the law that has become the talk of the town 'made in Nigeria' products. It is our belief that with made in Nigeria products will create opportunities for Nigerians who have products and services will be able to find market.

Saraki added: "We came up with is idea to help youths get things done by themselves. This is why we started this programme. It has taken a while to get the programme here but I am hopeful that with what we are seeing, this is the beginning of the great future for the young people of Kwara state.

"It is my hope and dream that we start with today will become successful entrepreneurs and they will in turn, eventually train more people and people they train will train more people. So that in four years time we will have over 40,000 of our youths who have passed through this scheme."

Earlier, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed revealed that the state government has made available over N1.9 billion to entrepreneurs across the state. The governor said: "For me, it is satisfying to note that the 40,000 youths scheduled to benefit from this scheme are not limited to the central senatorial district but extend across the length and breadth of our dear state.

"Today's ceremony, therefore, further demonstrates the Senate President's recognition of youths as the most significant component of our population and the need to deliberately create programs for their benefit as the inheritors of our future.