The federal government’s newly established tailoring hub in Osun has trained no fewer than 80 youths in tailoring and fashion design.
The hub, located at the National Youth Development Centre in Ode-Omu, Osun, was equipped with industrial and computerised machines, button and weaving machines, stand-by generator, among others.
The youth, who were drawn from the six geopolitical zones, were trained by the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development under its National Skills Acquisition on Tailoring and Fashion Design.
NAN also reports that the youth were trained for three weeks in pattern design, sewing of suit, shirt and trouser, window blind, servicing of industrial machine, financial literacy, among others.
Speaking at the closing ceremony for the trainees on Sunday in Ode-Omu, Osun, Solomon Dalung, Minister for Youths and Sports Development, said the centre was set up to assist youth to acquire skills that would boost the growth of the textile industry in Nigeria in line with Economic Growth and Recovery plan.
Mr Dalung said the programme, which was first of its kind by the ministry, was designed to assist skilled youth to compete in the fashion and design industry locally and internationally.
The minister was represented by Folashade Adesola, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
Mr Dalung said with the training given to the youth, Nigeria’s apparels export would be enhanced with a better-finished product that would enable youth to become an employer of labour.
He said the financial literacy skills the youths were equipped with would enable them to manage their finances and transform their tailoring skills into a successful business enterprise.
Dalung added that the training would also reduce the high level of unemployment in the country.
“The menace of persistent youth unemployment requires multi-sectoral efforts for any meaningful and sustainable impact to be achieved.
“Also, the achievement of medium-term economic goals of the 2017-2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of Federal Government is to a great extent dependent on the active engagement of youth.
“When youths are positively engaged, there will be a reduction in incidences of crime and delinquency, which are factors inimical to national development efforts,” Mr Dalung said.
Earlier in his remarks, Simeon Oduyebo, Director of Enterprise Development and Promotion in the Ministry, said the training was conceived to strengthen government efforts in job creation, economic diversification and to empower already skilled unemployed youths.
Mr Oduyebo said the trainees were made up 27 young men and 53 young women from the 36 states of the federation and FCT and accommodated for the duration of the training.
He said the fashion hub would be open for all youth who were into tailoring and fashion design for use with payment of a token.
Selimah Mohammed from Borno State and Taiwo Noah from Lagos State, who were among beneficiaries of the training, commended the federal government and the ministry for the opportunity.