A university teacher, Dr
Kingsley Nworgu, has advised youths to develop themselves educationally so as to be able to empower themselves economically.
He gave the charge while delivering a paper on “Youth Empowerment and Taking Advantage of Economic Situation’’ at the 4th edition of the Nnewi Economic Summit in Newi Anambra State recently.
Nworgu said this would enable them take advantage of the opening up of the economy by various levels of government in the country.
“It is a good development that the Federal Government is now focusing on the private sector-led economy, which necessitated massive privatisation and commercialisation,’’ the lecturer said.
Nworgu, who is a lecturer in Business Administration at the Imo State University, said the development was a challenge to youths.
“The development of youths to take up the opportunities which commercialisation and privatisation will throw up is a challenge for the youths and leaders in the country.
“In Nigeria, in the last 10 years, the government has tried and is still trying to open up the economy to international competition through privatisation and, in some cases, the commercialisation of businesses that were hitherto government-owned enterprise.
“This means that business, even in the country, is becoming highly competitive.
“Hence, only well-prepared and well-trained youths will fit into the job or business environment in the country in a couple of years to come.
“Therefore, youths should prepare themselves through education and training in order to fit into the opportunities which government’s economic and social reforms will throw up,’’ he said.
The don, however, urged governments at all levels to strengthen the educational sector through proper funding.
He said government should also put in place an educational curricula which involves managerial and entrepreneurial skills meant to prepare the youths.
“The support we give our youths today is definitely an assurance for a greater and brighter tomorrow, because there cannot be any lasting success without a befitting successor,’’ Nworgu said.
The two-day Nnewi Economic Summit, with the theme “The Entrepreneur in the 21st Century’’, was organised by the Nnewi Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with The Sun Newspapers.