By Angela Atabo
Ready to Lead Africa, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has empowered Nigerian youths with knowledge on access to economic opportunities to empower them to be strong pillars of democracy.
Mr Godbless Otubure,Gobal President Ready to Lead Africa, said this at the official launch of the Ready to Work and Ready to Trade initiatives which enabled access to markets in Abuja.
Otubure said that event also aimed at leveraging on the Africa continental Free Trade Area agreement(AFCFTA)sustainable relationship and economic growth in Africa.
“Ready to Work and Trade initiatives are designed to facilitate the bridging of the information gap that currently exists among young people about the AFCFTA,” he said.
He said that the NGO would also work with the AFCFTA Secretariat to deepen the information that was available on the benefits of the instrument that had been ratified by over 50 countries in Africa.
” The goal is to ensure that Africans are trading more with one another, we also want to ensure that we are able to increase the pocket capacities of our young people so that they have livelihoods and access to economic opportunities across the region.
“Ready to work on the other hand, is designed to improve the employability skills quotient of the average Nigerian and African graduates.
” Our goal is such that we want graduates who are employable to have an understanding of what the world of work demands,” he said.
Otubure said that the goal was to ensure that the objectives of the AFC FTA were achieved.
He said that way a lot millionaires and billionaires would be raised from Africa and that would help to reduce poverty.
“We are connecting trade, jobs and democracy together because a democratic country that does not have empowered people would have citizens who are unable to hold government accountable,” he said.
A panellist ,Mr Ezekeil Yusuf and founder of a management and strategy school listed government policy, poor infrastructure, mindset, lack of trust between neighbouring countries as some of the challenges hampering the achievement of the AFCFTA objectives.
“We all feel that this new leadership and government will come up with policies that will encourage people who have business ideas to thrive.
“I also encourage youths to be creative to concentrate on productive economy rather than consumption.”
Another panellist Mrs Bamidele Owoola ,Founder and Chief Executive Officer,Welcome2Africa International (W2A), encouraged youths to learn to start entrepreneurship small then grow from there .
Owoola said there was need for government to improve security, build infrastructure, provide electricity ,good roads among others to create enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Mr Taiwo Akerele, a former Chief of Staff to Edo Governor ,commended the NGO for creating a platform for youths to cross pollinate on business and work ideas.
Akerele urged youths learn to key into government policies and programmes to up their entrepreneurship games.
He said that there was need for Africa to improve trade among countries to be more open without restrictions.
He said that it was high time the continent especially ECOWAS countries embraces free trade and movement within the region for the development of the continent.(NAN)
