Vocational training and youth empowerment remain the keys to addressing the unemployment challenges confronting the nation, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed has said.

Ahmed made this submission at the youth empowerment and social support operation (YESSO) meeting held in Ilorin, the state capital.

He said that his administration, in line with the federal government SURE-P programme had updated its database to include uneducated youths and school drop outs to ensure effective engagements of the teeming youth population.

He said the Malete Youth Farm, Old Yidi road fish farm and the upgraded three technical colleges in the three senatorial districts of the state were all geared towards achieving his administration’s youth empowerment programmes.

The governor assured participants that other programmes were ongoing to ensure that the youths were adequately catered for to reduce the tendency towards various social vices.

While congratulating the federal government and the World Bank for taking youth matters seriously, the Governor, represented by his deputy, Elder Peter Kisira, expressed optimism that the YESSO meeting of relevant stakeholders across the country would yield desired results.

In his remarks, the leader, public sector group of the World Bank, Professor Folusho Okunmadewa said the Federal Government was ready to support the state government’s Bridge Empowerment Programme (KWABES) to increase employment capacity of the government.