Speaking at the launch of the fiv-day youth empowerment programme held at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, said the programme sought to empower the university community by creating thriving business owners amongst students. Reiterating the lender’s commitment to continually equip Nigerian youths with requisite skills needed to make them self-reliant, Okonkwo declared that Nigerian youths had been denied opportunities to develop in diverse realms of human endeavours.
“In a national survey jointly sponsored by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Education Trust Fund (ETF), about 61 percent of 20 organisations rated graduates poor in skills needed in the work environment such as literacy, entrepreneurship, analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills”, he explained. Commenting on the scope of the programme, Okonkwo said that the students were trained on tailoring and make-up, explaining that the exercise provided students with knowledge and first-hand experience on the above-mentioned skills.
Okonkwo, who was represented by Leonard Ezugwu, head, Anambra-Enugu-Ebonyi region of the bank, said, “Nigerian youths are only exposed to theoretical education without…practical entrepreneurship, vocational and skill acquisition trainings.”
In a conscious attempt to ensure that undergraduates utilised the skills and experiences garnered at the youth empowerment workshop, the MD/CEO pointed out that Fidelity Bank provided students with sewing machines, pressing irons and make-up kits.
Top government functionaries, captains of industry, media practitioners and the academia all converged on the UNN Campus to witness the youth empowerment programme. The Vice-Chancellor represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) of Academics, UNN, Professor James; founder, Gazelle Academy, Muna Uzo and Chairman/Managing Director, Ben TV, Alistair Soyode were some of the dignitaries at the event.