By Nasratu Kargbo
President Julius Maada Bio has called on stakeholders to ensure that they improve on human capital. He made this call at the Sierra Leone’s first National Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair held at the Freetown International Conference Centre on the 15th November 2022.
Bio explained that they should improve in ensuring youths get the required skills to face the universe. Bio said that his government has focused on improving the human value chain by investing in education. He explained they’ve ensured they heavily invest in both basic and tertiary education. He also noted that despite the beautiful degrees, the youths are unable to get jobs due to the working experience requirement in job adverts.
He emphasized that even with the best degree, if one does not have certain qualities or skills, they might lose the opportunity of being employed, noting that every employer needs one that adds value to their institution.
“Something is missing, we must complete the value chain for them. Therefore it is our responsibility to finish our value chain, which is human capital”, he said.
He explained that a lot of individuals are not exposed to interviewing skills, writing resume or presenting themselves neatly before their prospective employers.
The President said they should not only enable youths with knowledge, but also prepare their skills.
He explained that some people have beautiful and innovative ideas but do not have the funding to actualize them, and therefore asked financial institutions to loan the youth thereby providing them with affordable capital.
Bio noted the fair will not only connect the youths involved with the opportunities, but also provide the platform for an engagement with all stakeholders about designing a cohesive, integrated and sustainable job creation strategy.
He added that the fair puts youths in direct contact with potential employers and investors.
Bio encouraged participants to make use of the opportunity to enhance their skills and network with people in order to gain employment or start up their own businesses.
The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Alpha Tejan Wurie said they want to provide hands on skills, in order to have more people with the set skills to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the country. He revealed that they’re reducing the number of students studying conventional courses such as History and Geography.
He emphasized that the country should be positioned to get youths with hands- on skills, and pass on technical skills. He mentioned that the Army, Correctional Centre amongst other institutions must ensure that their members and inmates are given vocational training to capacitate them with skills that society needs to thrive.
Wurie noted that it is important that they institutionalize apprenticeship and internship, adding that the country should have an open university.
Speaking on behalf of development partners, World Bank’s Country Director for Sierra Leone, Abdul Muwonge called on individuals in higher places to give a lending hand to the youths, stressing people should imbibe the habit of not succeeding alone.
He called on financial institutions to loosen up and capacitate the youths through loans.
Whilst addressing the youths, he advised them to believe in themselves and to persevere in chasing their dreams.
Making recommendations, he explained that the country is blessed and can export certain products such as processed ginger. Muwonge added that he observed that the country’s supermarkets are stuffed with foreign products and that he could hardly see local content.
The programme was climaxed with a tour; the President met with different entrepreneurs and business owners.
The fair which will last for three days, seeks to connect student and job seekers to institutions, improve the ability of students and the competencies of the youths who have chosen entrepreneurship as an alternative to traditional employment.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (16/11/22)
