COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE ONE-DAY TECHNICAL YOUTH SUMMIT ON YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN KWARA STATE-THE WAY FORWARD ORGANIZES BY ABUBKAR BUKOLA SARAKI (ABS) KWARA CENTRAL SENATORIAL CONSTITUENCY OFFICE HELD AT KINGSTONE CONFERENCE HALL, ILORIN KWARA STATE ON 9TH DECEMBER, 2013.

A one-day Technical Youth Summit on Youth Unemployment in Kwara State and the way forward held on 9th December, 2013 at Kingstone Conference Hall, Ilorin, Kwara State. The summit was organized to reduce unemployment in Kwara State to the barest minimum through increase knowledge about entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities by initiating discussions aimed to change the mindset of the youth in the State from seeking white collar jobs to being self-employed and employers of labour.

The summit also sought to identify possible solutions on the way forward in addressing the problem of unemployment in the State by pulling resources through various Agencies and Institutions in the State in finding all avenues that will facilitate youth entrepreneurship and youth self employment in Kwara State.

In encouraging the youth to participants were drawn from unemployed graduates in the State, three major Resource persons, Chairmen and Captains of Industries in the State, Chief executives of notable Banks and Micro Financial Banks. The summit was declared open by the Executive Governor of Kwara State,His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr.) AbdulFatah Ahmed, Chairman of the occasion, Speaker of House of Assembly, RT. Honourable Abdulrasak Atunwa while the keynote address was delivered by the Distinguished Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON).

Three (3) papers were presented at the summit around which discussions were built. The papers presented included:

1. Preparing the mindset of Kwara Youth towards self employment – moving from idea to action.
2. Entrepreneurship knowledge and its Application.
3. How to win war against unemployment in Kwara State.

At the end of the summit, the participants noted that:

1. The establishment of the international youth vocational centre in the State is commendable and enjoined the State Government to fast track the early completion of the centre in Ajasse-Ipo.
2. The absence of a systematic and constructive engagement of the youth made them to be vulnerable to various survival instincts, criminal activities, political manipulations and recruitment for violent activities by extremist groups.
3. There are not enough jobs in public and private sectors. And therefore it is essential to create a conducive environment that will fuel youth self employment and entrepreneurship development in the State.
4. Absence of youth friendly Bank facilities is the greatest impediment to youth self employment and youth entrepreneurship development in the State.

Following these observations, the participants resolved and recommended as follows:-

1. Participants at the summit called for involving of mechanism to ensure full integration of (KWABEES) Corps member into permanent employment within of three years of enrollment.
2. The summit identify other levels of unemployed youth that needs to be captured for employment such the underemployed, the non educated and unskilled youth.
3. The summit recommend that the skill acquisition should be decentralized to afford youth in the rural areas have access to such centre with minimal square radius.
4. Youth at the summit unanonymously agreed that such summit was long overdue and that all effort should be geared toward the sustenance of the summit for the benefit of the Teaming Youth of the State.
5. That the Malete Youth Agriculture Training Centre should be strengthened to promote effective youth involvement in commercial agriculture in the State. And that the grandaunts of the centre should be provided with necessary assistance to enable them stand on their own.
6. In order to achieve self employment, youth must have access to micro-finance devoid of stringent conditions to fund their viable business plans.
7. Promoting youth self employment will require investment at many different levels, with seed funding, mentors and other business development services by various Governments level.
8. The summit recommended that a State of Emergency be declared on Youth Unemployment in the country as been declared on power and security sectors.
9. The Summit also recommended the need for establishment of a monitoring and evaluation unit for the intervention programme to enhance the effectiveness and result.
10. The Summit enjoyed Youth to developed passion, zeal and   commitment on chosen enterprises.
11. Finally, the participants wish to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Distinguished Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON) for his un-relented support and commitment to the development of the youth in the State and for providing them the opportunity to participate at this important Technical Youth Summit, first of its kind in the State.

COMRADE KAZEEM ADEKANYE
CHAIRMAN

ENGR. AMINA SULAIMAN
SECRETARY