The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment in Ekiti State, Otunba Kayode Fasae has tasked youths in the state to explore the various initiatives of the state government to tackle unemployment.
The Commissioner stated this on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti during the interactive S’etigbo multicast anchored by Bureau of Community Communications .
According to the Commissioner, the newly Ministry is saddled with the responsibility of creating various entrepreneurship development activities, facilitate skill acquisition programmes, among others, to build a prosperous Ekiti State.
His words: “The Ministry is a new one in the state and our mandate is how we can empower our youths through quality skills acquisition, and get unemployed youths the opportunity of getting quality jobs. When we started, we did what we call data collection exercise to determine the number of unemployed youths in the state and how we can help them get jobs beyond Ekiti State.
“There is a platform, Labour Market Information System. This platform is a portal whereby unemployed youths in the state can actually have access to any job opportunities globally. The platform is going to come live any moment from now and the Public Private Dialogue is on May 20th, 2025.
“We are working with NDE, Jubilee Foundation, others to ensure that if there are any opportunities for our youths, we can actually key into it. Last year, with the support of NDE, we trained over 100 youths and they are been empowered. There is a program coming up to train 200 youths in the state in solar installation and electrical maintenance.
“Also, the state government through the collaboration of NDDC have trained 45 youths in the state in the act of CNG conversion. After the training, they were given startup packs worth 2million courtesy of Larry Motors. We are trying to partner with ABUAD in ensuring that we have access to the facilities enjoyed by ABUAD students for the benefits of all the youths in the state.”
Otunba Fasae reiterated the commitment of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration in empowering its citizens through entrepreneurship and partnership that will propel the state towards shared prosperity.
He further disclosed that the state government has partnered three financial institutions to ensure that major towns in the state have access to banking services in line with the federal government policy on economic and financial services.
“What I can assure all our teeming youths is that the state is poised to ensure they are gainfully employed. My advice is for them to come and register. We are doing WEMA bank training for 100,000 youths and it is ongoing. It is when we see the figures, then we can plan for them. I am just imploring them to do the registration and keep checking the platform because we have started posting all the vacancies globally on our website.
“Again in the ministry, we say that there is dearth of banking services in the state because of security reasons. Most of the banks are afraid of going into the hinterland to set-up their branches. In Ekiti State today, the major towns that have access to quality banking are not more than four or five.
“The federal government came up with the policy of economic and financial inclusion services that is taking the financial services to all the 774 LGAs in the country. The state has come up with a program whereby we are partnering with three banks to ensure that all the major towns in the state have access to banking services.” He added.
Also featuring on the program, Director General, Bureau of Community Communications, Mary Omotosho said that the administration of Governor Oyebanji is not relenting in providing dividends of democracy adding that the governor is clear and focused on the assignment given by Ekiti people.
She said: “The recent arrival of high-capacity power equipment in Ekiti for the construction of new transmission stations in Ilupeju and Ijesa Isu isn’t just a coincidence. It’s a direct outcome of Governor Oyebanji’s relentless follow-up visits in Abuja. He’s not sitting back, he’s moving and pushing for statewide development.
“The ongoing recruitment of security personnel into Amotekun, Agro-Marshall, and Agro-Rangers isn’t business as usual. It’s about boosting our community-based intelligence . It’s local, it’s intentional, and it’s another proof that security in Ekiti is being taken seriously under the Oyebanji-led government.