Creative Industry

FG Tasks Nigerian Youth on Agro-Allied Ventures

Published

4 years ago

March 6, 2022

By Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government has called on the teeming unemployed youth in the country to take advantage of the various youth initiatives and programmes of the present administration to empower themselves with Agro-allied skills, especially with the provision of start-up packs and other Agro-allied equipment given to them by the Government, to become self-employed and job creators.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare made the call weekend in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, during the closing ceremony of a two-week National Youth in Agriculture Empowerment Training Programme.

Represented by the Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion Department (EYD), Prince Momoh Olugbenga, the Minister said that the programme which was organized by his Ministry was designed to cover unemployed youth both male and female, within ages 15-29 from the 36 States of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to him, the training programme is not only aimed at fostering the creation of wealth through the acquisition of Agro-allied skills but also to reduce youth unemployment and restiveness as well as enhance their participation in profitable Agro-allied business with a view to boosting economic growth and development in line with the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Dare stated further that Agriculture and Agro-allied business are one of the areas where jobs abound.

“A general survey has indicated and confirmed that Agriculture and Agro-allied business are one of the areas where jobs and employment opportunities abound and will continue to be relevant and as well play significant roles in the economy of this and other centuries,” he said.

To achieve the national goal of wealth creation and employment generation, therefore, the Minister said, “there is a need to build the capacity of our youth in areas where we have a comparative advantage in both material and human resources.”

He explained that tapping into the potentials of the youth could prove a crucial asset for the economic development of the country with the acquisition of relevant and marketable Agro-allied skills that meet the demands of the 21st century.

The Minister assured that government will continue to invest in the youth by equipping them with various Agro-allied skills such as Fish Processing and Value Addition, Garri Processing and Value Addition as well as Entrepreneurial skills including Financial Literacy Education, access to Micro Finance Facilities so as to enable them to start and manage their Agro-allied ventures.

He, therefore, called on the relevant stakeholders to harness the potential of the youth and mobilize their energies, talents, visions and creativity for the socio-economic development of the country.

Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs Helen Ishaya applauded the various youth initiatives and programmes embarked upon by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration with the view to empowering them for self-reliance, self-development and economic growth of the country.

She said that the empowerment will further reduce the excruciating pangs and pains of youth unemployment which is mainly responsible for the increasing social vices in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, therefore, called on the youth in the country to put to use all they learnt from the training for the betterment of their lives and also count themselves lucky to be among those chosen from the teeming Nigerian youth as beneficiaries of the programme.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Adedokun Omowumi thanked Youth and Sports minister Mr Dare and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, for the privilege given to them to acquire the skills, noting that the training has been highly educative and impactful and as such, would not be taken for granted.

She assured that the Agro-allied skills acquired during the training would be adequately invested so as to bring about socio-economic growth and development of the country.

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Creative Industry

Musawa Highlights Art and Culture as Drivers of Public Sector Excellence at Legislative Mentorship Session

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., has emphasized the importance of integrating art and culture into public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the SA Media & Publicity, Office of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Phd.

Musawa made this known while addressing trainees at the 4th Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), held at the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja on Thursday.

Themed ‘Building the next generation of Public Sector Leaders’, Minister Musawa highlighted art and culture as essential tools for national cohesion and identity, economic development and job creation, innovation and civic engagement, sustainable development, and projecting Nigeria’s soft power and global identity.

She noted that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage is a unifying force that binds different ethnicities and elaborated on how Art and Culture is key to public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

“First, embracing and promoting art and culture helps to forge national cohesion and shared identity among Nigeria’s diverse populations. Integrating culture into public policy and governance transforms the creative and cultural sectors into engines of economic development, job creation and diversification. Cultural industries including crafts, music, film, design, heritage tourism can generate livelihoods, attract investment, expand exports, and reduce overreliance on a narrow set of economic activities.

“A society that values creativity and cultural expression tends to produce more resourceful citizens, fosters cross-cultural dialogue, and encourages public servants to be more adaptive, empathetic, and culturally aware while prioritizing culture and creative economy in public policy through frameworks, institutions, and infrastructure, demonstrates long-term vision and commitment to sustainable development,” Musawa said.

The Minister called for supportive policies, enabling legislation, and sustained commitment to fulfill this vision, including laws that protect intellectual property, incentivize investment in creative infrastructure, and integrate arts and culture into education and community development.

“Embedding art and culture at the heart of governance and public-sector planning is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It builds unity, drives economic growth, fosters innovation, strengthens institutions, and ensures that development respects and reflects the soul of the nation,” she emphasized.

Musawa thanked the founder of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his inspiring vision and unwavering commitment to cultivating Nigeria’s future public-service leaders.

Other speakers at the Legislative Mentorship Initiative include the Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization Aisha Augie, Nigerian photo-journalist and documentary photographer Bayo Omoboriowo, Amb. Dapo Oyewole, Secretary-General Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures amongst others.

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