Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State yesterday said the greatest challenge confronting the nation's democracy remained the issue of job creation for the teeming youths.

He stressed the need for major stakeholders in the country to brainstorm on how to solve the problem of risk retardation of the nation's socio-political and economic growth.

Ahmed spoke yesterday at Ijasse Ipo in Irepodun Local Council of the state during the foundation laying ceremony of an international vocational centre built by the state to produce "job creators rather than seekers of job."

According to him, "during my inauguration as the fifth Executive Governor of our state, I identified youth empowerment through job creation as a cardinal focus of this administration alongside other key policy areas.

"This was based on the recognition that youths constitute 70 per cent of our population and are significant agents of positive change if properly harnessed. Any serious effort to transform the lives of our people must therefore incorporate youth economic empowerment.

"In recognition of this, we have since created jobs for 2000 youths, absorbed 1,430 of these future leaders into the state civil service and brokered 10,000 public works jobs through the Federal Government. I am therefore pleased to be part of history today as we take another firm step towards transforming our youths into successful economic actors with the foundation-laying of the International Vocational Centre."

The governor reiterated the resolve of his administration to create a new generation of highly-employable artisans and prosperous youth entrepreneurs through the provision of market-relevant skills under his pet project christened  "Shared Prosperity Programme."

Besides, Ahmed said it demonstrated "the commitment of my administration to a continuing legacy of high-performance and inclusive prosperity for current and future generation of Kwarans.

"Our original intention was to lay the foundation for this International Vocational Centre several months ago, having secured the funding for the project earlier in the year. However, in our determination to create a market-relevant and business-focused curriculum for the centre, we needed to consult the business community, especially the National Employers Consultative Association (NECA)."

The primary objective of this Vocational Training Centre is to modernise vocational training effectiveness and efficiency, whilst delivering world-class performance in all its operations. This centre will turn senior secondary school leavers, polytechnic and university graduates into well-trained technicians and artisans ready to create jobs and contribute to our collective prosperity."