The Akwa Ibom State Government has concluded plans to seal a deal with a German technical firm, Bertoni, for the establishment of a Mega Skill Development Centre to train youths on various vocations.
The State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, announced this while exchanging views with the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan, who called on him at Uyo.
He said: “We are planning with Bertoni, a technical company in Germany to establish a mega skill acquisition centre to train carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other artisans for quality service delivery.”
He commended the federal government’s intention to establish Skill Development Centres in all the thirty one local government areas of the state to train women in various skills saying that the gesture would complement the development agenda of his administration.
Governor Emmanuel who noted that the foundation of every society began with the development of the girl child said: “to build a society, build a home and to build a home, build the woman.”
He added that his administration had adopted measures to develop women as well as protect the girl child through enabling legislation and establishment of Sexual Assult Referral Centre at Immanuel Hospital, to handle rape cases and other forms of child abuse.
He pointed out that the state was yet to benefit from the Home Grown School Feeding Programme of the Federal Government, despite having concluded necessary documentation.
He called on minister to facilitate the commencement of the programme which he said would complement the free and compulsory education initiative of the state administration .
He also used the occasion to call on the Federal Government to reimburse the state on money expended on federal projects.
This, he said, was to enable the state government utilise it on other pressing concerns.
He stressed that the relocation of a major police station and the Uyo prison which were being threatened by gully erosion required urgent attention.
Earlier, the minister, Senator Alhassan, said they were in the state to sensitize and advocate on programmes of the Federal Government as well as solicit partnership with the state in implementation.
She expressed appreciation to the governor for being at the forefront in the execution of women development programmes and described him as a “a true Champion for Nigerian women.”
“With what I have seen here, I will not advocate anything but to say, well done and thank you.”
