From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
The nagging problem of employment among youths will soon become history in Kano as the state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has completed the N5 billion Integrated Skills Acquisition Centre which he named after Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre with about 24 departments of different modern skills and trades located along Zaria Road, precisely, at Gurjiya town in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area is expected to empower hundreds of thousands of Kano youths and women who will in turn become employers of labour and bread winners of their respective families.
Speaking shortly after inspecting the Centre on Thursday, Ganduje said arrangements have been concluded to employ a foreign expert for prudent management of the Centre, adding that business mogul, Aliko Dangote has promised to pay the salaries of the foreign managers for six years upfront.
He added that young graduates and Engineers will also under training within and outside the country in collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
According to him, the Centre which is the biggest ultra-modern skills acquisition centre in Nigeria will soon be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The AUTHORITY reports that Ganduje had procured state-of-art equipment worth N2.5 billion from the United Kingdom which were installed in the Ultra-Modern Integrated Skills Acquisition Centre named after business mogul, Aliko Dangote.
About N2.4 billion was also expended to erect the gigantic structure of the Centre with 24 different craft departments.
According to him, the services of an expatriate was needed for the management of the Centre so as to avoid mismanagement that could lead to the world-class skills acquisition centre going moribund, adding that CCTV Camera will also be installed for proper security of the management, staff, students and the state-of-the-art equipment in the Centre.
Ganduje who was accompanied to the Centre by his Deputy, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and some members of his cabinet, including the Commissioner of Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, further stated that, “you are most welcome to this Aliko Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre. The details of what we have here in terms of training and training facilities have already ben explained by our technical people. But myself as a messenger of this project, I will like to inform you of very critical issues pertaining to this Centre.
“First of all, we are not just beating about the bush as far as this Centre is concerned. It has been created as a result of knowledge, as a result of research and as a result of investigation on what are the gaps that are existing in Kano state in terms of employment opportunities.
“So, we have to commission a consultant to go round within the public and private sectors to see what are the trades that can be impacted on our youths; and employment will be automatic. They came up with 24 types of trades. We also found out what are the types of machines that are being required, what type of building that is supposed to be done. So, there was a design after making classification on the type of machine.
“Then the next issue is the ability to do the building and the ability to purchase the required machines. We have already done that.
“The next issue is that of training. We are training young graduates and young engineers on different fields considering what sections we have here. We are doing this so that they will be able to manage the Centre.
“Now, another important issue is that management which is critical. Without good management, all that we have labored here will go into the drain in a matter of few years! You will just be finding carcasses of what we have here today!
“So, we are making an enabling law to govern this Centre. It is not going to be business as usual, whether it will be under the Ministry of Works, Ministry of this and that…it will under bureaucracy, and before you know it, the management is gone!
“In order to develop accountability and prudency, we have decided to employ a foreigner for the management of this place. We are employing a foreign expert from the United Kingdom so that he will set the culture of prudent management for, at least, three years so that anybody who is coming in will follow that culture.
“By the grace of God, our son who we mention this Centre after his name, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has agreed to pay the foreigner for, at least, six years. We know he will be able to pay it.
“Again, in order to ensure the safety of the equipment at the Centre, we are going to install CCTV Cameras everywhere so that even if you pick a pin, you will be captured. The camera will pick you so that business will not be as usual.
“We assure you this Centre will serve the people of Kano state. It will also serve people from other parts of the country. We are going to collaborate with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) because we cannot do it alone.
“Our intention is to come out with the best way to manage this Centre. We are coming out with the best way to sustain this Centre and make it beneficial to the good people of Kano state.”
