By Omuboye Sukubo
Kula (Rivers) – A sculptor, Mr Efiok Effiong, has urged the youth, especially graduates, to acquire skills in different areas to be self-reliant and add value to the society through job creation.
Effiong made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers.
He said that with the unavailability of white-collar jobs for all employable graduates, skills acquisition was necessary to be economically independent.
“Youths that are graduates need to look beyond their formal education and be engaged in different skills that can enable them to feed themselves and meet other needs.
“Irrespective of the qualification you have in the University, Polytechnic and Colleges, there is need to be skilled and add value to it,” he said.
The sculptor called on the three tiers of government to provide opportunities for the youth to be trained in different skills.
“Sculpture has taken me round to different countries to work, and by God’s grace, I do not beg to eat or take care of myself.
“Some of us could be engaged in the training of youths in different skills and distract so many of the idle youths from the temptation of partaking in atrocities,” he said.
The sculptor said he was in Kula to mould a lion for his host and that was already an attraction in the community.
He said communities, aside government, could establish sculpture gardens as recreational centers for tourism and generate revenue.
(NAN)
