By Julius Peter, Abuja

The Executive Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Hon.Aruwe Tunbosun Haruna, has urged Nigerian youths to take skills acquisition seriously, describing it as a critical pathway to self-reliance, economic empowerment and national development.

Haruna made the call while speaking on the significance of the National Industrial Manpower Summit 2026, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Human Capital for Industrial Transformation: Building Skills, Driving Innovation and Creating Prosperity.”

He described the summit as a laudable initiative capable of empowering young people with practical skills to become economically independent, support their families and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the nation.

According to him, the programme provides an opportunity for the government to invest in the future of young Nigerians by equipping them with relevant vocational and technical skills that can open doors to employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.

The Mushin council chairman said the initiative was particularly important at a time when young people needed practical opportunities to improve their living conditions and become productive members of society.

“If you follow the programme very well, you will understand that it is all about empowering the youths and encouraging them to acquire two or three skills that can enable them to take care of themselves and their families,” he said.

He explained that skills acquisition was one of the practical ways through which the benefits of democracy could reach ordinary Nigerians, stressing that government programmes should have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of citizens.

Haruna noted that empowering young people with marketable skills would help them become self-reliant rather than depend solely on government employment or other limited job opportunities.

He said the summit’s focus on human capital development reflected the importance of preparing young Nigerians for the demands of a changing economy, where technical competence, creativity and innovation were increasingly essential.

The council chairman emphasised the need to catch young people early by exposing them to skills training and empowerment opportunities that could shape their future and encourage productive engagement.

According to him, government interventions should not merely be announced but must translate into tangible benefits that citizens, particularly youths, can experience in their daily lives.

He described the initiative as an example of governance that seeks to improve the economic prospects of the people through practical empowerment.

“Let them feel the impact of government. This is what governance should be about—programmes that empower the people and enable them to stand on their own,” he said.

Haruna maintained that young people who acquire relevant skills would be better positioned to establish businesses, secure employment, provide services and contribute to the economic development of their communities.

He added that skills development could also help reduce economic dependence and encourage a culture of hard work, innovation and entrepreneurship among the younger generation.

Haruna also expressed support for the proposal to integrate skills acquisition into the education system, saying that students should have opportunities to learn practical trades alongside their formal academic studies.

He said the emphasis on vocational training, as highlighted by the Minister during the summit, was a welcome development that could help prepare students for life beyond the classroom.

According to him, combining academic education with practical skills would enable young Nigerians to graduate with the knowledge and competence needed to create jobs for themselves and others.

He urged youths to embrace the approach and recognise that education should not be limited to obtaining certificates but should also equip them with the ability to solve problems, earn a living and contribute to society.

The chairman noted that practical skills could provide alternative economic opportunities for young people who might otherwise struggle to secure formal employment after completing their education.

He encouraged parents, educational institutions and community leaders to support initiatives that expose young people to vocational training, entrepreneurship and other forms of practical learning.

Haruna said the country would make greater progress if more young people developed the mindset that acquiring useful skills was an essential part of personal development and national advancement.

Speaking on his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, Haruna said Mushin Local Government had continued to pay attention to programmes and activities aimed at improving the welfare and prospects of young people.

He stated that youth development remained an important part of his administration’s agenda, adding that the council recognised the role young people could play in driving economic growth and community development.

According to him, his administration does not treat youth-related matters lightly, noting that the council’s activities and interventions could be followed through its social media platforms.

He explained that participation in the National Industrial Manpower Summit 2026 had provided an opportunity to learn from discussions, presentations and policy directions that could be adapted to strengthen youth empowerment initiatives at the local government level.

Haruna said he intended to take the lessons from the summit back to Mushin and share them with relevant stakeholders and residents to encourage the adoption of beneficial practices.

“As a local government chairman, if you visit our social media platforms, you will see that we do not joke with anything that has to do with youth development,” he said.

He added that the knowledge gained at the summit would be useful in guiding further conversations and actions on how to equip young people in Mushin with practical skills and opportunities for self-improvement.

“We are taking what we have learnt here back home to tell our people in Mushin about the things we have gained from Abuja and encourage them to emulate the initiative,” he said.

The Mushin chairman urged young Nigerians to take advantage of government-backed skills acquisition and empowerment programmes whenever such opportunities became available.

He advised them to approach the programmes with commitment and discipline, stressing that acquiring a skill required seriousness, determination and a willingness to learn.

Haruna said youths should not regard skills training as a temporary activity but as an investment in their future that could help them achieve financial independence and improve the welfare of their families.

He also called for sustained collaboration among the federal, state and local governments to ensure that skills development initiatives reached young people at the grassroots.

According to him, local governments have an important role to play in communicating the benefits of such programmes to residents, identifying the needs of their communities and encouraging young people to participate.

He said the impact of the summit would be more significant if the ideas discussed were translated into practical programmes that equipped youths with relevant skills and created opportunities for them to apply what they had learnt.

Haruna expressed optimism that sustained investment in human capital, coupled with effective implementation of skills acquisition policies, would contribute to reducing unemployment, strengthening entrepreneurship and improving livelihoods across the country.

He maintained that empowering young people was not only beneficial to individuals and their families but also essential to building stronger communities and a more productive national economy.

The National Industrial Manpower Summit 2026, with its focus on human capital development, industrial transformation, skills and innovation, provides a platform for stakeholders to examine ways of preparing Nigeria’s workforce for emerging economic opportunities.

For Haruna, the key message from the summit is that young Nigerians must be equipped with practical skills, while government programmes must deliver measurable benefits to the people.

He said the ultimate goal should be to build a generation of skilled, innovative and self-reliant youths capable of supporting their families, creating employment opportunities and contributing to Nigeria’s sustainable development.